Vector Algebra
Electromagnetics
ELE 311 Fall 2015
Amer S. Zakaria
Department of Electrical Engineering
College of Engineering
American University of Sharjah
Based on Sadiku 6th edition book
supplementary material and class notes
Learning Objectives
Understand the difference between scalar
and vector quantities.
Calculate unit
magnitudes.
vectors
and
vector
Perform algebraic operations on vectors.
Perform dot and cross products on vectors.
Electromagnetics | Vector Algebra
Vector Algebra
Scalars and Vectors
Scalar
A quantity that has only a
magnitude.
Examples: Mass, speed,
population.
Represented by simply a
letter e.g. A.
Vector
A quantity that has both a
magnitude and direction.
Examples: Weight,
velocity, force.
Represented as either a
bold letter () or a letter
with an arrow on top ().
Both scalar and vector quantities can be either constant values or
multivariable functions.
Electromagnetics | Vector Algebra
Magnitudes and Unit Vectors (1/2)
Vector
The magnitude of a vector is a scalar quantity written as or .
A unit vector along is a vector whose magnitude is unity.
Direction of a unit vector is in the vector direction. Thus
Example: In Cartesian coordinates, a vector can be written as
The magnitude of is
Electromagnetics | Vector Algebra
Vector components
Unit vectors
Magnitudes and Unit Vectors (2/2)
Vector
Example: In Cartesian coordinates, a vector can be written as
Electromagnetics | Vector Algebra
Example
Find magnitude and unit vector of
Electromagnetics | Vector Algebra
between Vectors
Relationships
Given two vectors and , they can be related to each other in
different ways.
Electromagnetics | Vector Algebra
Addition
Vector
Two vectors and can be added together to give another vector .
Vector addition obeys the following laws:
Commutative Law:
Associative Law:
Electromagnetics | Vector Algebra
Subtraction
Vector
Similarly two vectors and can subtracted from each other.
Commutative law doesnt apply:
However, the magnitudes of the subtracts are equal:
Electromagnetics | Vector Algebra
Scalar Multiplication
If a vector is multiplied with a positive scalar: magnitude
changes but not the direction.
If a vector is multiplied with a negative scalar: both magnitude
and direction changes.
Electromagnetics | Vector Algebra
Position and Distance Vectors
A point P in Cartesian coordinate may be represented as (x, y, z).
The position vector of point P is defined as the directed distance
from the origin O(0,0,0) to P(x, y, z).
A distance vector is the displacement from one point to another.
Electromagnetics | Vector Algebra
Vector Multiplication
Vector Multiplication
When two vectors are multiplied, the result is either a scalar or a
vector quantity depending on multiplication type.
In this course, we are interested in two types of vector
multiplications:
Dot (or scalar) product:
Cross (or vector) product:
Electromagnetics | Vector Multiplication
Dot
or Scalar Product
Given two vectors, their dot product is given as
Here is smaller angle between vectors.
If the two vectors are perpendicular () to each, their dot
product is zero .
If two vectors are parallel (), the dot product of their unit vectors
is equal 1 OR equal to scalar multiplication of vectors magnitudes.
Using dot products, we can define the projection of a vector onto
another:
Scalar Projection of onto is
Vector Projection of onto is
Electromagnetics | Vector Multiplication
Dot Product Laws
The following laws apply for dot product multiplication:
Commutative Law:
Distributive Law:
Self Multiplication:
To find the scalar component of a vector in a certain direction:
Find its scalar projection in that direction
To find the vector component in a certain direction:
Find its vector projection in that direction.
Electromagnetics | Vector Multiplication
Example
Given two vectors and , find the scalar and vector components of in
the direction of .
Electromagnetics | Vector Multiplication
Cross
or Vector Product
Given two vectors, their cross product is given as
Again here is smaller angle between vectors.
Unit vector is to plane
containing and .
Direction of unit vector can be
determined using the righthand rule.
Electromagnetics | Vector Multiplication
Rule
Right-Hand
Using the right-hand rule (or right-hand screw rule):
The fingers of the right-hand rotate from to
The right thumb is direction of .
Electromagnetics | Vector Multiplication
Cross Product Laws
Not Commutative:
Anti-Commutative:
Not Associative:
Distributive:
Scalar Triple Product
Vector Triple Product (BAC-CAB rule)
Self Cross-Product:
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Cross Product using Cyclic Permutation
Using cross-products, we can show:
Moving clockwise leads to
positive results.
Electromagnetics | Vector Multiplication
Moving counterclockwise leads to
negative results.
End of Vector Algebra
