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Key equations

Multiplication by a scalar (vector equation) B = α A
Multiplication by a scalar (scalar equation for magnitudes) B = | α | A
Resultant of two vectors D A D = D A C + D C D
Commutative law A + B = B + A
Associative law ( A + B ) + C = A + ( B + C )
Distributive law α 1 A + α 2 A = ( α 1 + α 2 ) A
The component form of a vector in two dimensions A = A x i ^ + A y j ^
Scalar components of a vector in two dimensions { A x = x e x b A y = y e y b
Magnitude of a vector in a plane A = A x 2 + A y 2
The direction angle of a vector in a plane θ A = tan −1 ( A y A x )
Scalar components of a vector in a plane { A x = A cos θ A A y = A sin θ A
Polar coordinates in a plane { x = r cos φ y = r sin φ
The component form of a vector in three dimensions A = A x i ^ + A y j ^ + A z k ^
The scalar z -component of a vector in three dimensions A z = z e z b
Magnitude of a vector in three dimensions A = A x 2 + A y 2 + A z 2
Distributive property α ( A + B ) = α A + α B
Antiparallel vector to A A = A x i ^ A y j ^ A z k ^
Equal vectors A = B { A x = B x A y = B y A z = B z
Components of the resultant of N vectors { F R x = k = 1 N F k x = F 1 x + F 2 x + + F N x F R y = k = 1 N F k y = F 1 y + F 2 y + + F N y F R z = k = 1 N F k z = F 1 z + F 2 z + + F N z
General unit vector V ^ = V V
Definition of the scalar product A · B = A B cos φ
Commutative property of the scalar product A · B = B · A
Distributive property of the scalar product A · ( B + C ) = A · B + A · C
Scalar product in terms of scalar components of vectors A · B = A x B x + A y B y + A z B z
Cosine of the angle between two vectors cos φ = A · B A B
Dot products of unit vectors i ^ · j ^ = j ^ · k ^ = k ^ · i ^ = 0
Magnitude of the vector product (definition) | A × B | = A B sin φ
Anticommutative property of the vector product A × B = B × A
Distributive property of the vector product A × ( B + C ) = A × B + A × C
Cross products of unit vectors { i ^ × j ^ = + k ^ , j ^ × k ^ = + i ^ , k ^ × i ^ = + j ^ .
The cross product in terms of scalar
components of vectors
A × B = ( A y B z A z B y ) i ^ + ( A z B x A x B z ) j ^ + ( A x B y A y B x ) k ^

Conceptual questions

What is wrong with the following expressions? How can you correct them? (a) C = A B , (b) C = A B , (c) C = A × B , (d) C = A B , (e) C + 2 A = B , (f) C = A × B , (g) A · B = A × B , (h) C = 2 A · B , (i) C = A / B , and (j) C = A / B .

a. C = A · B , b. C = A × B or C = A B , c. C = A × B , d. C = A B , e. C + 2 A = B , f. C = A × B , g. left side is a scalar and right side is a vector, h. C = 2 A × B , i. C = A / B , j. C = A / B

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If the cross product of two vectors vanishes, what can you say about their directions?

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If the dot product of two vectors vanishes, what can you say about their directions?

They are orthogonal.

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What is the dot product of a vector with the cross product that this vector has with another vector?

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Problems

Assuming the + x -axis is horizontal to the right for the vectors in the following figure, find the following scalar products: (a) A · C , (b) A · F , (c) D · C , (d) A · ( F + 2 C ) , (e) i ^ · B , (f) j ^ · B , (g) ( 3 i ^ j ^ ) · B , and (h) B ^ · B .

The x y coordinate system has positive x to the right and positive y up. Vector A has magnitude 10.0 and points 30 degrees counterclockwise from the positive x direction. Vector B has magnitude 5.0 and points 53 degrees counterclockwise from the positive x direction. Vector C has magnitude 12.0 and points 60 degrees clockwise from the positive x direction. Vector D has magnitude 20.0 and points 37 degrees clockwise from the negative x direction. Vector F has magnitude 20.0 and points 30 degrees counterclockwise from the negative x direction.
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Assuming the + x -axis is horizontal to the right for the vectors in the preceding figure, find (a) the component of vector A along vector C , (b) the component of vector C along vector A , (c) the component of vector i ^ along vector F , and (d) the component of vector F along vector i ^ .

a. 8.66, b. 10.39, c. 0.866, d. 17.32

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Find the angle between vectors for (a) D = ( −3.0 i ^ 4.0 j ^ ) m and A = ( −3.0 i ^ + 4.0 j ^ ) m and (b) D = ( 2.0 i ^ 4.0 j ^ + k ^ ) m and B = ( −2.0 i ^ + 3.0 j ^ + 2.0 k ^ ) m .

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Practice Key Terms 6

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Source:  OpenStax, University physics volume 1. OpenStax CNX. Sep 19, 2016 Download for free at http://cnx.org/content/col12031/1.5
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