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Scalar Triple Product

The scalar triple product of three vectors a = (a1 , a2 , a3 ), b = (b1 , b2 , b3 ) and c = (c1 , c2 , c3 ) is dened to be abc

which means a (b c). (Since there is only one sensible way of performing the given operations there is no real need for brackets in this expression.)

The scalar triple product may be evaluated in two steps by rst calculating b c followed by a dot product with a or in one step using a1 a2 a3 a b c = b1 b2 b3 c1 c2 c3 For example, the scalar triple product of the three vectors a = (1, 2, 4), b = (2, 1, 0) and c = (0, 5, 3) is 1 2 4 a b c = 2 1 0 = (1)(3) (2)(6) + (4)(10) = 31.

Volume of a Parallelepiped
The scalar triple product is signicant because it represents the volume of a parallelepiped (which is like a partially pushed-over rectangular box). To see this consider the parallelepiped dened by three vectors a, b and c as shown below.

 a  c

The volume V of the parallelepiped is given by V = (base area)(height). Now, the base is a parallelogram, so that the base area is |bc|. The height is measured perpendicular to the plane of the base, i.e. in the n direction, and thus is equal to the projection of a in the n direction. We have V = |b c| (a n) = |b c| a = a b c. bc |b c|

Coplanar Points and Vectors


If three vectors a, b and c are coplanar, i.e. they lie in the same plane, then they form a parallelepiped which is at, i.e. has zero volume. Thus, the three vectors are coplanar i a b c = 0.

Worked Example 1
Determine if the vectors a = 2i j + 5k, b = i + j k and c = 3i + 2j are coplanar. 5 2 1 1 1 = (2)(2) (1)(3) + (5)(1) = 2 = 0, abc= 1 3 2 0 therefore the three vectors are not coplanar.

Worked Example 2
Determine whether the four points A(2, 0, 3), B(1, 0, 0), C(1, 3, 3) and D(4, 1, 2) are coplanar. The strategy here is to turn the problem into a known one, i.e. the problem of deciding whether 3 vectors are coplanar.

x B C x E x A B

We construct three vectors from the four points: a =AD= (6, 1, 5) b =AB= (3, 0, 3) c =AC= (3, 3, 0)

The scalar triple product is 6 1 5 0 3 = (6)(9) (1)(9) + (5)(9) = 18 = 0, abc= 3 3 3 0 therefore the three vectors are not coplanar. Hence the four points are not coplanar.

Vector Triple Product


The vector triple product of three vectors a, b and c is dened to be a (b c). Vector triple products are common in mathematical modelling of particle and uid mechanics. The evaluation of a vector triple product can be made easier using the vector identity a (b c) = (a c)b (a b)c.

Worked Example 3
Given the vectors a = i + 3j k, b = 2i + j 5k and c = 3i 2j + 7k, verify the vector identity a (b c) = (a c)b (a b)c. Starting with the left hand side: i j k 1 5 = 3i j + k. b c = 2 3 2 7 The left hand side is i j k 1 3 1 = 2i + 2j + 8k. a (b c) = 3 1 1

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