ENERGY & TRANSFORMATION II
Tecnológico de Monterrey
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Name: ______________________________________________ ID: _________________
Module 1: Math Tools for Physics
Session 1.1 – Draw Vectors in 3D
General instructions: Solve the following exercises individually, following the
instructions provided in each one. All exercises must include written work, or they will
be marked incorrect.
Having these vectors:
a) 2i + 3j + 4k g) -1500i - 3000j - 2000k
b) -3i + 2j + 2k h) 4i + 5j
c) -4i - 3j + 5k i) -6i - 2j
d) 4i - 6j + 8k j) -5j - 3k
e) 10i +15j -20k
f) -200i + 400j – 500k
1) Draw each of the vectors above on a 3D coordinate plane (x, y, z). Include all three
coordinate axes, the arrow (vector) from the origin to the point, and the rectangular
box if the vector has three coordinates, or a plane if it only has two coordinates, as
shown in the next two examples. Use a ruler to ensure each side of the rectangular box
is straight. Using small or large grid paper is preferable; it will make the process much
easier. It doesn't matter if you use white or lined paper. Draw to scale.
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2) Calculate the magnitude of each of vectors above.
4i + 5j -6i - 2j
Magnitude: Magnitude:
-5j - 3k 2i + 3j + 4k
Magnitude: Magnitude:
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-3i + 2j + 2k -4i - 3j + 5k
Magnitude: Magnitude:
4i - 6j + 8k 10i +15j -20k
Magnitude: Magnitude:
-200i + 400j – 500k -1500i - 3000j - 2000k
Magnitude: Magnitude:
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ENERGY & TRANSFORMATION II
Tecnológico de Monterrey
Campus Aguascalientes
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Session 1.2 – Vectors 2D and 3D
General instructions: Complete the following exercises individually, following the
instructions provided. All exercises must include written work, or they will be marked
incorrect. If you use additional sheets of paper, be sure to staple them together.
Consider the following vectors and answer what is asked in each section:
𝑝⃗ = 2î + 4𝚥̂ + 5 𝑘-
𝑞⃗ = î − 2𝚥̂ + 3 𝑘-
a. Calculate the vector 𝑠⃗ = 𝑝⃗ + 𝑞⃗.
b. Calculate |𝑠⃗|.
c. Draw each vector in its corresponding space.
𝑝⃑ 𝑞⃑ 𝑠⃑
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2. Complete the formulas to find the direction cosines of a vector
!
cos 𝛼 = |#$⃗|
3. Find the angle that the vector 𝑠⃗ from the previous exercise makes with each of the x, y,
z axes.
4. A unit vector is defined as a vector whose magnitude is equal to 1. Determine which of
the following vectors are unit vectors.
√' √* (
a. 𝐴⃗ = () 𝚤̂ + () 𝚥̂ − () 𝑘- ____ Yes ____ No
:⃗ = √(( 𝚤̂ + √(( 𝚥̂ + +√(( 𝑘-
b. 𝐵 ____ Yes ____ No
(( (( ((
, + +
c. 𝐶⃗ = - 𝚤̂ − . 𝚥̂ + - 𝑘- ____ Yes ____ No
5. These vectors are given as 𝐴⃗ = −5𝚤̂ + 9𝚥̂ − 𝑘- y 𝐵
:⃗ = 3𝚤̂ − 11𝚥̂ + 𝑘-, find:
a. 2𝐴⃗ − 3𝐵
:⃗
b. |2𝐴⃗ − 3𝐵
:⃗|
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6. Show that for any two vectors 𝐴⃗ and 𝐵
:⃗ , the following holds:
>𝐴⃗ − 𝐵
:⃗> = >𝐵
:⃗ − 𝐴⃗>
Session 1.3 – Dot (Inner) Product
Vector operations in physics:
There are some operations that can only be performed on vectors.
Such is the case with the dot product and the cross product.
It is important to note that neither of these operations represents ordinary
multiplication.
Inner (dot) product: 𝐴⃗. 𝐵
)⃗
The dot product is a vector operation that quantifies the projection of a defined
vector 𝐴⃗ onto another vector 𝐵
)⃗ .
It is also called the scalar product, since its result is always a scalar (i.e., without
direction).
It is represented by a dot between two vectors (hence its name). For example,
𝐴⃗. 𝐵
)⃗ can be read as “𝐴⃗ dot 𝐵
)⃗ ”, or “the Inner product of 𝐴⃗ and 𝐵
)⃗”.
Likewise, sometimes it is necessary to know the angle between two vectors, for
which the trigonometric definition of the dot product can be used:
)𝑨
)⃗ · 𝐵
)⃗ = .𝑨
)⃗..𝐵
)⃗. cos 𝜃
Method: If we have any two vectors 𝐴⃗ and 𝐵
)⃗ , of the general form:
𝐴⃗ = 𝑎! 𝚤̂ + 𝑎" 𝚥̂ + 𝑎# 𝑘9
𝐵)⃗ = 𝑏! 𝚤̂ + 𝑏" 𝚥̂ + 𝑏# 𝑘9
Then
𝐴⃗ · 𝐵
)⃗ = 𝑎! 𝑏! + 𝑎" 𝑏" + 𝑎# 𝑏#
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Problem 1: If 𝐴⃗ = 2𝚤̂ + 3𝚥̂ + 𝑘9 and 𝐵
)⃗ = 3𝚤̂ − 𝚥̂ − 𝑘9, Find dot product of 𝑨
)⃗ and 𝐵
)⃗ .
Problem 2: Prove that the dot product of two perpendicular vectors will always
be zero.
Problem 3: The vectors 𝐴⃗ = 4𝑐𝚤̂ − 2𝚥̂ + 𝑐𝑘9 and 𝐵
)⃗ = 𝑐𝚤̂ + 6𝚥̂ + 8𝑘9 are perpendicular.
What are the possible values of the constant c?
Problem 4: Prove that the dot product of any two vectors is a commutative
operation. That is, 𝐴⃗ · 𝐵
)⃗ = 𝐵
)⃗ · 𝐴⃗.
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Session 1.4 – Cross Product
Vector operations in physics:
There are some operations that can only be performed on vectors.
Such is the case with the dot product and the cross product.
It is important to note that neither of these operations represents ordinary multiplication.
Cross product: 𝐴⃗ × 𝐵
)⃗
The cross product is a vector operation that quantifies the rotation or twist of vector 𝐴⃗ with respect
to another vector 𝐵 )⃗ . It is also called the vector product, since its result is always a vector
perpendicular to either of the two original vectors.
It is represented by a cross between two vectors (hence its name). For example, 𝐴⃗ × 𝐵 )⃗ reads as
“𝐴⃗ cross 𝐵)⃗ ” or “cross product of 𝐴⃗ and 𝐵 )⃗”.
If you only want to know the magnitude of the cross product, or the angle of separation between
two vectors, we have:
.𝐴⃗ × 𝐵)⃗ . = .𝐴⃗..𝐵
)⃗ . sin 𝜃
Right-hand rule:
This rule can be used to find the direction of a resulting cross product.
Starting with a simple example, if 𝑎⃗ = 2𝚤̂ and 𝑏)⃗ = 3𝚥̂, then 𝑎⃗ × 𝑏)⃗ = 6𝑘9, but 𝑏)⃗ × 𝑎⃗ = −6𝑘9.
Question: How to find the magnitude (size) of a cross product?
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Example: We have 𝐴⃗ = 2𝚤̂ + 3𝚥̂ + 𝑘9 and 𝐵
)⃗ = 3𝚤̂ − 𝚥̂ − 𝑘9, find the magnitude of the cross
product between vectors 𝐴⃗ and 𝐵
)⃗.
Using the data from the previous example, we arrange both vectors into a matrix as follows:
𝚤̂ 𝚥̂ 𝑘9
⃗ )⃗
𝐴 × 𝐵 = G 𝐴! 𝐴" 𝐴# H
𝐵! 𝐵" 𝐵#
𝚤̂ 𝚥̂ 𝑘9
⃗ )⃗
𝐴 × 𝐵 = I2 3 1K
3 −1 −1
We know the output of a cross product is a vector. The general form of the vector can be
expressed by:
"𝑨
"⃗ × "𝑩 -
"⃗ = ( ))̂-( )+̂+( )𝒌
To find 𝚤̂ component, we ignore the row and column that 𝚤̂ exists:
Then we multiply the diagonal and off-diagonal terms and subtract them as shown below:
!̂: (𝟑)(−𝟏) − (𝟏)(−𝟏) = −𝟐
To find 𝚥̂ component we repeat the same procedure:
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,̂: [(𝟐)(−𝟏) − (𝟏)(𝟑)] = −𝟓
Finally, to find 𝑘9 component we have:
1: (𝟐)(−𝟏) − (𝟑)(𝟑) = −𝟏𝟏
𝒌
Therefore, for the vector form of 𝐴⃗ × 𝐵
)⃗ :
"⃗ = (−2)𝚤̂-(−5)𝚥̂+(−11)𝑘7
𝐴⃗ × 𝐵
""⃗ × "𝑩
𝑨 -
"⃗ = −𝟐)̂+5+̂-11𝒌
Hence, the magnitude of this cross product is obtained by:
L)))⃗
𝑨 × ))))⃗
𝑩L = M(−2)$ + (5)$ + (−11)$
L)))⃗
𝑨 × ))))⃗
𝑩L = √4 + 25 + 121
L)))⃗
𝑨 × ))))⃗
𝑩L = √4 + 25 + 121
L)))⃗
𝑨 × ))))⃗
𝑩L = √150
)))⃗ × 𝑩
L𝑨 ))))⃗L ≈ 12.25
Problem 1: Prove that the cross product of two parallel vectors will always be zero.
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Problem 2: The vectors 𝐴⃗ = 4𝑐𝚤̂ − 𝑐𝑘9 and 𝐵
)⃗ = 6𝚤̂ + 3𝑐𝑘9 are parallel. The c is a constant. What
are the possible values of c?
Problem 3: Define the vectorial form of C and its size 𝐶⃗ = 𝐴⃗ × 𝐵
)⃗ for the following vectors
U
𝐴⃗ = −𝚤̂ + 3𝑘
𝐵)⃗ = −2𝚥̂ − 𝑘9
Problem 4: Demonstrate the following inequality is correct 𝐴⃗ × 𝐵
)⃗ ≠ 𝐵
)⃗ × 𝐴⃗.
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Problem 5: For vectors given
Important convention:
When drawing in two dimensions (x, y) but needing to easily include vectors from a third dimension (z),
the following symbols are used:
Out of the plane: ⨀ (In standard space, this would be towards +z)
Into the plane: ⨂ (In standard space, this would be towards –z).
𝐴⃗ = −2î + 𝚥̂ − 3𝑘9
)⃗ = î − 2𝚥̂ + 3𝑘9
𝐵
The following operation is considered as 𝐶⃗ = 𝐵)⃗ × 𝐴⃗:
i. Draw the vector C.
ii. Calculate the magnitude of C.
iii. What Will be the result of 𝐶⃗· 𝐴⃗?
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