PHY10 Lesson 1

UNIT VECTORS
AND
VECTOR PRODUCTS

UNIT VECTOR
A unit vector is a vector with a magnitude of exactly
1 and points in a particular direction.
A vector in its regular
form or magnitude-angle
form, such as

+y

A 10.00 m, 30o above x

i
+x

+z

can be expressed in unit

vector form or rectangular
form.

A (8.66m)i (5.00m) j

VECTOR ADDITION

A (10m) i (8m) j (6m) k

B (8m) i (12m) j (4m) k

+y

+y

A y j

A
A z k
+z

B
A x i

+x

+x

B y j

B x i
B Z k
+z

Find the resultant of the following vectors.

A (10m) i (8m) j (6m) k

B (8m) i (12m) j (4m) k

C AB

A (10m) i (8m) j (6m) k

B (8m) i (12m) j (4m) k

C (2m) i (20m) j (10m) k

VECTOR PRODUCTS: Scalar/Dot Product

Given the following vectors:

A Ax i Ay j Az k

B Bx i B y j Bz k

The scalar (or dot) product of these vectors is defined as:

A B AB cos
Where:

A is the magnitude of A

B is the magnitude of B

is the angle between A and B .

VECTOR PRODUCTS: Scalar/Dot Product

A B AB cos
i i (1)(1) cos 0 1
i j (1)(1) cos 90 0
i k (1)(1) cos 90 0
j i (1)(1) cos 90 0
j j (1)(1) cos 0 1
j k (1)(1) cos 90 0

k i (1)(1) cos 90 0
k j (1)(1) cos 90 0
k k (1)(1) cos 0 1

VECTOR PRODUCTS: Scalar/Dot Product

A B AB cos

A Ax i Ay j Az k

A B

A B

B Bx i B y j Bz k

A i A
x

j Az k Bx i B y j Bz k

Ax Bx Ay By Az Bz

Find the dot product of the following vectors:

A (10m) i (8m) j (6m) k

A B

B (8m) i (12m) j (4m) k

Ax Bx Ay By Az Bz

A B [(10m)(8m)] [(8m)(12m)] [(6m)(4m)]

A B 80m 2 96m 2 24m 2

2
A B 40m

Find the angle between the following vectors:

A (10m) i (8m) j (6m) k

B (8m) i (12m) j (4m) k

A B AB cos
40

200

cos

224 cos
40
200 224

79.11

VECTOR PRODUCTS: vector/Cross Product

Given the following vectors:

A Ax i Ay j Az k

B Bx i B y j Bz k

The vector (or cross) product of these vectors is defined

as:

A B AB sin

Where:

A is the magnitude of A

B is the magnitude of B

is the angle between A and B .

VECTOR PRODUCTS: Vector/Cross Product

A B AB sin
i i (1)(1) sin 0 0
i j (1)(1) sin 90 k
i k (1)(1) sin 90 j

k i (1)(1) sin 90 j

j i (1)(1) sin 90 k

k k (1)(1) sin 0 0

j j (1)(1) sin 0 0
j k (1)(1) sin 90 i

k j (1)(1) sin 90 i

VECTOR PRODUCTS: Vector/Cross Product

A B AB sin

A Ax i Ay j Az k

A B

A i A
x

B Bx i B y j Bz k

j Az k Bx i B y j Bz k

A B Ay Bz Az By i Az Bx Ax Bz j Ax By Ay Bx k

Find the cross product of the following vectors:

A (10m) i (8m) j (6m) k

B (8m) i (12m) j (4m) k

A B Ay Bz Az By i Az Bx Ax Bz j Ax By Ay Bx k

A B 32 72 i 48 40 j 120 (64) k

2
2
2
A B 40 m i 88 m j 184 m k

PROBLEM:

PROBLEM:
In the figure at right, a cube is
placed so that one corner (point
O) is at the origin and three
edges are along the +x +y, and
+z axes of a coordinate system.
Use unit vectors to find the
(a) angle between the edge
along the z-axis (line OQ) and
the diagonal of the cube (line
OP).
(b) angle between the diagonal
of a face (line OR) and line OP.