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
i
+x
+z
A (8.66m)i (5.00m) j
VECTOR ADDITION
+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
C AB
A Ax i Ay j Az k
B Bx i B y j Bz k
A B AB cos
Where:
A is the magnitude of A
B is the magnitude of B
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
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
A B
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
A B AB cos
40
200
cos
224 cos
40
200 224
79.11
A Ax i Ay j Az k
B Bx i B y j Bz k
A B AB sin
Where:
A is the magnitude of A
B is the magnitude of B
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
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
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.