Chapter 1 Vectors
Chapter 1 Vectors
In this course, vectors like electric and magnetic fields will be discussed
both in free space and in material media.
SCALARS:
VECTORS:
A vector is a quantity that has both magnitude and direction. i.e. force,
velocity, field.
In electromagnetics, common fields that will be used are the electric field
intensity E , electric flux density D (displacement vector), magnetic field
intensity vector H and the magnetic flux density vector B .
VECTOR ALGEBRA
Figs.1-1. a and b shows Parallelogram and Head to Tail Rules for adding vectors.
Properties of addition:
A1 + A2 + ... + AN ≤ A1 + A2 + ... + AN
If the N vectors are all in the same direction and have the same senses, then
the equality holds.
Multiplication of a Vector by a Scalar
B = λA
Consider two non-zero vectors. If they have the same direction, then they are
said to be parallel.
Vector subtraction is D = A − B .
Figs.1-2. a and b shows Parallelogram and Head to Tail Rules for subtracting vectors.
UNIT VECTOR:
A
aˆ A =
A
A = aˆ A A
Cartesian Components of a Vector
Fig. 1-3
A = Ax aˆ x + Ay aˆ y + Az aˆ z
The magnitude of A is:
A = Ax 2 + Ay 2 + Az 2
VECTOR MULTIPLICATION
Let A and B be two non-zero vectors. Let the angle between A and B be
θ AB . By the scalar product of these two vectors, we mean the following
scalar:
A B cos θ AB
Let A = Ax aˆ x + Ay aˆ y + Az aˆ z and
B = Bx aˆ x + B y aˆ y + Bz aˆ z
( )(
Then, A.B = Ax aˆ x + Ay aˆ y + Az aˆ z . Bx aˆ x + B y aˆ y + Bz aˆ z )
A.B = A x Bx + A y By + A z Bz
Since,
aˆ x .aˆ x = aˆ y .aˆ y = aˆ z .aˆ z = 1
aˆ x .aˆ y = aˆ x .aˆ z = aˆ y .aˆ z = 0
Fig. 1-4 The cross product of A and B is a vector with magnitude equal
to the area of the parallelogram and direction as indicated.
aˆ x X aˆ y = aˆ z
aˆ y X aˆ z = aˆ x
aˆ z X aˆ x = aˆ y
AXB = ( Ax aˆ x + Ay aˆ y + Az aˆ z ) X ( Bx aˆ x + B y aˆ y + Bz aˆ z )
We have a compact form for the AXB in terms of a determinant:
aˆ x aˆ y aˆ z
AXB = Ax Ay Az
Bx By Bz
III) Scalar Triple Product
Given three vectors A , B and C , we define the scalar triple product as:
Ax Ay Az
A.( BXC ) = Bx By Bz
Cx Cy Cz