Lecture # 01

Vector Algebra Vector Algebra

Vector Algebra - Recap
Vectors: Quantities having both magnitude and direction, denoted
by boldface (A, B, and so on). Ex: Velocity, acceleration, force
and momentum etc
Scalars: Quantities having only magnitude but no direction;
denoted by ordinary alphabet. Ex: mass, density, temperature etc
In diagrams, vectors are denoted by arrows: the length of the In diagrams, vectors are denoted by arrows: the length of the
arrow is proportional to the magnitude of the vector, and the arrow
head indicates its direction.
Minus A (-A) is a vector with the same magnitude as A but of
opposite direction.
Vectors have magnitude and direction but not location.
Vector Operations
(i) Addition of two vectors: Place the tail of B at the head of A.
Commutative: A+B=B+A
Associative: (A+B)+C=A+(B+C)
(ii) Multiplication by a scalar:
Multiplies the magnitude but leaves the direction unchanged.
Distributive: a (A+B)= a A+ a B
(iii) Dot product of two vector (scalar product):
The dot product of two vectors is defined b AB!AB cos"#
and the result is scalar. $ere " is the angle the form when placed tail%to%tail.
Commutative: AB=BA
Distributive: A(B+C)=AB+AC
Geometrically A.B is the product of A and the component of B along A.
(iv) ross product of two vector (vector product):
The cross product of two vectors is defined b, where is a unit vector pointing
perpendicular to the plane of A and B.
A hat is used to designate the unit vector and its direction is determined b the right%hand rule.
not commutative: AB=-BA; Distributive: A(B+C)=AB+AC
n AB sin = B A
n
Vector Al!ebra: o"ponent for"
Let be unit vectors parallel to the x, y, and z axes, respectively.
An arbitrary vector A can be expressed in terms of these basis vectors.
The numbers A
x
, A
y
, and A
z
are called components of A.
&i' To add vectors# add li(e components.
&ii' To multipl b a scalar# multipl each component.
&iii' To calculate the dot product# multipl li(e components# and add.
&iv' To calculate the cross product# form the determinant whose first row is # whose
second row is A &in component form'# and whose third row is B.
#riple $roducts
)ince the cross product of two vectors is itself a vector# it can be dotted or crossed with a
third vector to form a triple product.
&i' %calar triple product: A(B&). *eometricall#
+A(B&)' is the volume of a parallelepiped generated b these three vectors as shown in ,ig.
A (B&) ( B (&A) ( (A&B) A (B&) ( B (&A) ( (A&B)
&ii' Vector triple product: A&(B&). The vector triple product can be simplified b the so%
called BA)AB rule. A&(B&) ( B(A ) *(A B)
-otice that &A&B)& + A&(B&)
&A&B)& ( *&(A&B) ( *A(B ) , B(A )
$osition- Displace"ent- and %eparation Vectors
$osition vector: The vector to that point from the origin.
.ts magnitude &the distance from the origin'
.ts direction is represented b a unit vector # &pointing radiall

r
outward'
The infinitesimal displacement vector# from &x, y, ! to &x"dx, y"dy, "d!, is
.n electrodnamics one fre/uentl encounters problems involving two points0
A source point# r- where an electric charge is located
A field point# r- at which the electric field is calculated
A short%hand notation for the separation vector from the source point to the field
point is point is
1ifferential 2alculus
34rdinar5 1erivatives
)uppose we have a function of one variable0 f&6'. The derivative#
df7d6# tells us how rapidl the function f&6' varies when we change the argument 6 b a tin
amount# d60
.n words# if we change x by an amount dx, then, f changes b an amount df. #he derivative
is a proportionality constant and it describes how rapidly the given function varies. df$dx is
small for f varying slowly with x% it would be large if the variation was rapid. small for f varying slowly with x% it would be large if the variation was rapid.
*eometrical interpretation0 The derivative df$dx is the slope of the graph of f versus x.
)uppose we have a function of three variables. A theorem on partial derivatives states that
$ere $ is the gradient of & and is a vector 'uantity, with three components.
*eometrical interpretation0 Li(e an vector# the gradient has magnitude and direction.
The gradient & points in the direction of maximum increase of the function &.
Analogous to the derivative of one variable# a vanishing derivative signals a ma6imum# a
minimum# or an inflection.
#he Operator
The gradient has the formal appearance of a vector# # 3multipling5# a scalar &.
is a vector operator that acts upon $# not a vector that multiplies $.
mimics the behavior of an ordinar vector in virtuall ever wa# if we translate 3multipl5 b 3act
upon5. .t is a marvelous piece of notational simplification

upon5. .t is a marvelous piece of notational simplification

An ordinar vector A can multipl in three was0
1. Multipl a scalar a : aA
8. Multipl another vector &dot product'0 AB
9. Multipl another vector &cross product'0 A&B
2orrespondingl# there are three was the operator can act0
1. 4n a scalar function &: & (Gradient )
8. 4n a vector function &dot product'0 (v (divergence )
9. 4n a vector function &cross product'0 : v (curl )
#he Diver!ence
1ivergence of a vector v is0
;v is a measure of how much the vector v spread out from the point in /uestion.
&divergence of a scalar is meaningless'
<60 )uppose the functions in the above figures are
2alculate their divergences.
The curl
The curl of a vector is
:v is a measure of how much the vector v curl around the point in /uestion.
)uppose the functions in above two figures are
2alculate their curls.
$roduct .ules