PHY 111: Principles of Physics I Summer 2023

L ECTURE 03 — June 3, 2023

BRAC U NIVERSITY

1 Vector Multiplication

The last and most crucial part of vector algebra. Unlike scalar multiplication, vectors follow a different
concept when it comes to multiplication. We need to understand its physical intuition before we do any
math with it.

1.1 Scalar (Dot) Multiplication

The dot product is a scalar quantity obtained by multiplying the magnitudes of the two vectors and the
cosine of the angle between them. This multiplication takes the projection of one vector in a direction
parallel to another vector.
⃗ and ⃗B, for example. Assume they make an angle θ with each other. There
Take the following vectors A
can be two ways we calculate scalar multiplication.

F IGURE 1: Geometrical definition of scalar multiplication.

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 L ECTURE 3 — PHY-111 —1 V ECTOR M ULTIPLICATION

1.1.1 Analytical

Similar to the vector addition, we first resolve the vectors in the system coordinate axes and then take
the products of like components and sum all the products.

⃗ · ⃗B = A x Bx + Ay By + Az Bz
A (1)

1.1.2 Geometrical

Measure the magnitude of the vectors and simply plugin their value in the following formula:

⃗ · ⃗B = AB cos θ = ⃗B = BA cos θ = ⃗B · A
A ⃗ (2)

⃗
B cos θ is the projection of ⃗B in a direction parallel to A.

1.1.3 Limiting Cases of Scalar Multiplication

1. θ = 0◦ : The dot product is maximum.

2. 90◦ > θ ≥ 0◦ : The dot product is positive in this range.

3. θ = 90◦ : The dot product is zero.

4. 180◦ > θ > 90◦ : The dot product is negative in this range.

5. θ = 180◦ : The dot product is maximum in the opposite direction to the 1st case.

6. 270◦ > θ > 180◦ : The dot product is negative in this range.

7. θ = 270◦ : The dot product is zero.

8. 360◦ ≥ θ > 270◦ : The dot product is positive in this range.

9. θ = 360◦ : The dot product is maximum.

1.1.4 What to expect?

1. Two vectors may be given in vector notation. Then, usually, you may be asked to calculate the
scalar product. You may use the analytical method to solve for the answer.

2. Two vectors may be given in verbal notation. To calculate the scalar product in this case, you may
use the geometrical method to solve.

3. Two vectors may be given in either vector or verbal notation. You may be asked to calculate the
angle between them.
!  
⃗ · ⃗B
A  A B
x x + A B
y y + A B
z z

θ = cos−1 = cos−1 q  q  (3)
AB  A2x + A2y + A2z Bx2 + By2 + Bz2 

⃗ · ⃗B = ⃗B · A.
TAKEAWAY: Dot multiplication is commutative. That is, A ⃗

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 L ECTURE 3 — PHY-111 —1 V ECTOR M ULTIPLICATION

1.2 Vector (Cross) Multiplication

The cross product is a vector quantity that is perpendicular to the plane of the two vectors being mul-
tiplied, and its magnitude is equal to the product of the magnitudes of the two vectors and sine of the
angle between them. The direction of the cross product is determined by the right-hand rule. This
multiplication takes the projection of one vector in a direction perpendicular to another vector.

F IGURE 2: Geometrical definition of cross multiplication.

⃗ and ⃗B again, still making an angle θ with each other. There can be two
Take the same two vectors A
ways we calculate vector multiplication.

1.2.1 Analytical

Similar to the vector addition, we first resolve the vectors in the system coordinate axes and then take
the products of all possible combinations of unlike components and follow the following format:

⃗ × ⃗B = Ay Bz − Az By î + ( Az Bx − A x Bz ) ĵ + A x By − Ay Bx k̂



A (4)
 
î ĵ k̂
=  A x Ay Az  (5)
 
Bx By Bz

1.2.2 Geometrical

Measure the magnitude of the vectors and simply plugin their value in the following formula:

⃗ × ⃗B = AB sin θ η̂
A (6)
⃗ = − BA sin θ η̂
⃗B × A (7)

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 L ECTURE 3 — PHY-111 —1 V ECTOR M ULTIPLICATION

⃗
B sin θ is the projection of ⃗B in a direction perpendicular to A.

1.2.3 Limiting Cases of Vector Multiplication

1. θ = 0: The cross product is zero and minimum.

2. 90◦ ≥ θ > 0◦ : The cross product is positive in this range.

3. θ = 90◦ : The cross product is maximum.

4. 180◦ > θ > 90◦ : The cross product is positive in this range.

5. θ = 180◦ : The cross product is zero and minimum.

6. 270◦ > θ > 180◦ : The cross product is negative in this range.

7. θ = 270◦ : The cross product is maximum in the opposite direction to the 3rd case.

8. 360◦ > θ > 270◦ : The cross product is positive in this range.

1.2.4 What to expect?

1. Two vectors may be given in vector notation. Then, usually, you may be asked to calculate the
cross-product. You may use the analytical method to solve for the answer.

2. Two vectors may be given in verbal notation. To calculate the cross product in this case, you may
use the geometrical method to solve.

3. You can’t find the angle between the vectors using vector multiplication. Why not? Let’s consider
the following, similar to what we did for the scalar product.
( )
−1
⃗ × ⃗B
A
θ = sin (8)
AB

Unlike scalar multiplication, the numerator in the fraction above is a vector that will never return
any numerical value for the angle.
We can bypass this just by taking the magnitude of the numerator.
  
 A ⃗ × ⃗B 
θ = sin−1 (9)
 AB 

⃗ × ⃗B = −⃗B × A.
TAKEAWAY: Cross multiplication is anti-commutative. That is, A ⃗

1.2.5 Rule of Thumb to Cross Multiplication

Unless mentioned otherwise or explicitly, always follow the right-handed system when doing maths
with cross products.

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 L ECTURE 3 — PHY-111 —2 V ECTOR D IVISION

F IGURE 3: The coordinate axes unit vectors follow the cyclic relation in 3D space. The Left-handed
system is just the mirror opposite of the Right-handed system. The reflection symmetry lies
in the x-y plane.

2 Vector Division

Vector division is impractical. Because, unlike the mathematical operations of addition and subtraction,
which can be applied to vectors with clear geometric interpretations, the operation of division does not
have a precise geometric interpretation for vectors.

However, if we divide a vector with a positive scalar, the vector gets down-scaled, more like shrinks,
while keeping the same direction. Do the same with a negative scalar; the vector still shrinks but in the
opposite direction.