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07 01 09 PDF

1) The product of three vectors can result in a scalar or vector. The scalar triple product results in a scalar, while the vector triple product results in a vector. 2) Under rotation about an axis, vectors transform according to the rotation matrix, with the transformed vector equaling the original vector multiplied by the rotation matrix. 3) Scalar and vector fields associate a scalar or vector, respectively, to each point in a region of space. Gradient, divergence and curl are vector differential operators that operate on scalar and vector fields.

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64 views

07 01 09 PDF

1) The product of three vectors can result in a scalar or vector. The scalar triple product results in a scalar, while the vector triple product results in a vector. 2) Under rotation about an axis, vectors transform according to the rotation matrix, with the transformed vector equaling the original vector multiplied by the rotation matrix. 3) Scalar and vector fields associate a scalar or vector, respectively, to each point in a region of space. Gradient, divergence and curl are vector differential operators that operate on scalar and vector fields.

Uploaded by

mona sihombing
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Vector triple products

The product of three vectors can be a scalar or vector,



Ax Ay Az
~ · (B
~ × C)
~ = Bx By Bz = ǫlmn Al Bm Cn

scalar triple product A (8)
Cx Cy Cz
~ × (B
vector triple product A ~ × C)
~ = B ~ (A
~ · C)
~ −C
~ (A
~ · B)
~ (9)

Vector transformation
~ transforms as
Under rotation about z-axis, vector A
 ′    
Ax cos θ sin θ 0 Ax
 A′y  =  − sin θ cos θ 0   Ay  ⇒ A′m = Rmn An . (10)
A′z 0 0 1 Az

The R is called rotation matrix. For a general rotation by an angle θ about an vector (axis)
Ox î + Oy ĵ + Oz k̂, normalized so that Ox2 + Oy2 + Oz2 = 1, rotation matrix R is given as,

Ox2 + (1 − Ox2 ) c
 
Ox Oy (1 − c) − Oz s Ox Oz (1 − c) + Oy s
R =  Ox Oy (1 − c) + Oz s Oy2 + (1 − Oy2 ) c Oy Oz (1 − c) − Ox s  (11)
Ox Oz (1 − c) − Oy s Oy Oz (1 − c) + Ox s Oz2 + (1 − Oz2 ) c

where c = cos θ and s = sin θ.

Scalar and vector fields

Scalar field: If to each point (x, y, z) of a region R in space there corresponds a number
or scalar φ(x, y, z), then the φ is called scalar function or scalar field.
Examples: Temperature map on earth’s surface at a certain time, potential difference,
√
function like φ(x, y, z) = x3 y − z etc.

Vector field: If to each point (x, y, z) of a region R in space there corresponds a vector
~ (x, y, z), then V
V ~ is called vector function or vector field.
~ (x, y, z) = îxy 2 +
Examples: Velocity of a flowing river at various points, electric field, V
ĵ2yz 3 + k̂x2 z etc.

Example 2. If A ~ = 2î − 3ĵ + 4k, B~ = î + 2ĵ − k̂ and C~ = 3î − ĵ + 2k̂, find (a) volume of
parallelopiped whose edges are A,~ B,
~ C,
~ (b) A ~ × (B ~ × C).
~
~ (x, y), (a) xî + y ĵ, (b) ĵ, (c) xĵ,(d)
Example 3. Draw schematic diagrams of the vector fields V
y î − xĵ.
~ = 3î + ĵ − 3k̂ through an angle 30o about z-axis and verify that
Example 4. Rotate vector A
~ and the new vector is indeed 30o .
the angle between A

1
Gradient, Divergence & Curl
Rules of total and partial differentiation, and the conditions for their existance, are similar
to the scalar functions. For instance,
d ~ ~ =A
~× ~
dB ~
dA ~
1. du (A × B) du + du ×B
d ~ ~ × C)
~ =A
~ ·B
~× ~
dC ~· ~
dB ~+ ~
dA ~ ×C
~
2. du (A ·B du +A du ×C du ·B
∂ ~ ~ = ~
∂A ~ +A
~· ∂
3. ∂v (A · B) ∂v ·B ∂v

~ × B)
4. d(A ~ =A
~ × dB
~ + dA
~×B
~

Vector differential operator, del is defined by,

~ ≡ ∇ ≡ î ∂ + ĵ ∂ + k̂ ∂
∇ (12)
∂x ∂y ∂z
∇ possesses properties analogous to those of ordinary vectors, only difference being it is an
operator and by alone carries no meaning. It can operate on scalar and vector functions,
~ (x, y, z) respectively, in three possible ways – gradient ∇φ, divergence ∇ · V
φ(x, y, z) and V ~
and curl ∇ × V ~.

Gradient: If φ(x, y, z) be defined and differentiable at each point (x, y, z) in a certain


region of space R (i.e. φ is differentiable scalar field) then,
∂φ ∂φ ∂φ
∇φ = î + ĵ + k̂ (13)
∂x ∂y ∂z
dφ = ∇φ · d~r = |∇φ||d~r| cos θ

⇒ dφ is greatest when θ = 0 i.e. dφ is greatest along ∇φ.

⇒ ∇φ points in the direction of maximum change of φ. The |∇φ| gives slope (rate of
increase) along this maximal direction.

⇒ ∇φ = 0 implies stationary point (summit or valley or saddle or pass or shoulder) just


like df /dx = 0 means extrema or inflection and φ is called solenoidal.

⇒ ∇φ is a vector perpendicular to the surface φ(x, y, z) = const.

~ (x, y, z) is differentiable vector field then,


Divergence: If V

~ = ∂Vx + ∂Vy + ∂Vz


∇·V (14)
∂x ∂y ∂z
~ 6= V
However, ∇ · V ~ ·∇

~ (x, y, z) is differentiable vector field then,


Curl: If V

î ĵ k̂
~
∂ ∂ ∂
∂Vn
∇ × V = ∂x ∂y ∂z ≡ ǫlmn
(15)
V V V ∂xm
x y z

~ = 0, V
When ∇ × V ~ is called irrotational.

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