Arkansas Tech University

MATH 2934: Calculus III

Dr. Marcel B Finan

10.4

Multiplying Vectors: The Cross Product

In this section we discuss another way of multiplying two vectors to obtain a

vector, the cross product. We should note that the cross product requires
both of the vectors to be three dimensional vectors.
Now, any two three dimensional vectors determine a parallelogram. We will see
below that the definition of cross product involves this parallelogram.
Consider first the parallelogram obtained by two vectors ~u and ~v and let be
the angle between these two vectors as shown in Figure 10.4.1.

Figure 10.4.1
The area of this parallelogram is given by
Area of parallelogram = Base Height = ||~v || ||~u|| sin .
We define the cross product of two vectors ~u and ~v to be the vector which
is perpendicular to both ~u and ~v with a magnitude equal to the area of the
parallelogram they span. The corresponding formula is
~u ~v = (||~v || ||~u|| sin )~n
where 0 is the angle between the two vectors and ~n is a unit vector
perpendicular to both ~u and ~v .
The first problem that we encounter here is the normal vector ~n. For any two
vectors ~u and ~v , if ~n is a normal vector so is ~n. So which vector is the correct
one? This is determined by the following rule, known as the right-hand rule:
The orientation of ~n is determined by placing ~u and ~v tail-to-tail, flattening the
right hand, extending it in the direction of ~u, and then curling the fingers in the
direction leading to ~v . The thumb then points in the direction of ~n. See Figure
10.4.2.

Figure 10.4.2
It follows from the definition, that if ~u and ~v are parallel, then sin = 0 and
therefore ~u ~v = ~0. In particular, ~u ~u = ~0.
Example 10.4.1
Find all possible cross products of the unit vectors ~i, ~j, and ~k.
Solution.
We have
~i ~j =||~i|| ||~j|| sin ( )~k = ~k
2
~j ~k =||~j|| ||~k|| sin ( )~i = ~i
2
~k ~i =||~k|| ||~i|| sin ( )~j = ~j
2
~j ~i =||~j|| ||~i|| sin ( )(~k) = ~k
2
~k ~j =||~k|| ||~j|| sin ( )(~i) = ~i
2
~i ~k =||~i|| ||~k|| sin ( )(~j) = ~j.
2
There is an easy way to deal with the signs. Consider the diagram in Figure
10.4.3.

Figure 10.4.3

Any product that moves around the diagram clockwise takes a plus sign, and
any product that moves around the diagram counterclockwise takes a minus
sign.
Finally, ~i ~i = ~j ~j = ~k ~k = ~0 since the angle between a vector with itself is
zero
So far the cross product has been defined geometrically. How can we find ~u ~v
if both vectors are given in components? That is, if ~u = u1~i + u2~j + u3~k and
~v = v1~i + v2~j + v3~k then what is ~u ~v ?
Lets first introduce the determinant of three rows and three columns:


 x y
z 

 u1 u2 u3  = (u2 v3 v2 u3 )x (u1 v3 v1 u3 )y + (u1 v2 u2 v1 )z.


 v1 v2 v3 
By substitution one can easily find that


 u1 u2 u3 


 u1 u2 u3  = (u2 v3 v2 u3 )u1 (u1 v3 v1 u3 )u2 + (u1 v2 u2 v1 )u3 = 0


 v1 v2 v3 
and

 v1

 u1

 v1

v2
u2
v2

v3
u3
v3




 = (u2 v3 v2 u3 )v1 (u1 v3 v1 u3 )v2 + (u1 v2 u2 v1 )v3 = 0.



Thus, by letting w
~ = (u2 v3 v2 u3 )~i (u1 v3 v1 u3 )~j + (u1 v2 u2 v1 )~k we see
that
w
~ ~u = 0 and w
~ ~v = 0.
Hence, w
~ is perpendicular to both ~u and ~v . It follows that w
~ and ~u ~v are
parallel. Hence, w
~ = (~u ~v ).
On the other hand, we have the following
||w||
~ 2 =(u2 v3 v2 u3 )2 + (u1 v3 v1 u3 )2 + (u1 v2 u2 v1 )2
=(u22 v32 2u2 v3 v2 u3 + v22 u23 ) + (u21 v32 2u1 v3 v1 u3 + v12 u23 )
+(u21 v22 2u2 v1 v2 u1 + v12 u22 )
=u22 v32 + v22 u23 + u21 v32 + v12 u23 + u21 v22 + v12 u22
2u2 v3 v2 u3 2u1 v3 v1 u3 2u2 v1 v2 u1
=(u21 + u22 + u23 )(v12 + v22 + v32 ) (u1 v1 + u2 v2 + u3 v3 )2
=||~u||2 ||~v ||2 (~u ~v )2
and
||~u ~v ||2 =||~u||2 ||~v ||2 sin2
=||~u||2 ||~v ||2 (1 cos2 )
=||~u||2 ||~v ||2 (~u ~v )2 .
3

We conclude that = 1. But by checking the formula of w

~ when ~u = ~i and
~v = ~j we notice that w
~ = ~k and ~u ~v have the same direction. Hence, = 1
and so ~u ~v = w.
~
From the above discussion, a convenient way to remember the algebraic cross
product is by means of the determinant of the following matrix:







 ~i
~k  
~j
 u1 u2 
 u1 u3 
  u2 u3 


 ~k






~
~
j+
i
~u ~v =  u1 u2 u3  = 
v1 v2 
v1 v3 
v2 v3 
 v1 v2 v3 
Example 10.4.2
Find the cross product of ~u = 3~i 3~j + ~k and ~v = 4~i + 9~j + 2~k and check that
the cross product is perpendicular to both ~u and ~v .
Solution.
We have

~j ~k 

3 1 
9 2 


3 1 ~  3
i

 4
9 2 
= 15~i 2~j + 39~k




~u ~v = 



= 

~i
3
4



1  ~  3
j
+
 4
2 


3  ~
k
9 

Moreover,
~u (~u ~v ) = (3)(15) 3(2) + 39 = 0
and
~v (~u ~v ) = (4)(15) + 9(2) + 2(39) = 0.
Thus, ~u ~v is perpendicular to both ~u and ~v
Remark 10.4.1
The identity ||~u ~v || = ||~u||2 ||~v ||2 (~u ~v )2 is knwon as Lagranges identity.
Since ||~u||2 ||~v ||2 (~u ~v )2 = ||~u ~v || 0, we obtain the inequality
~u ~v ||~u|| ||~v ||.
This is known as Schwarzs inequality
The following theorem lists some of the properties of cross product.
Theorem 10.4.1
For vectors ~u, ~v , w
~ and scalar we have
(i) ~u ~v = ~v ~u
(ii) (~u) ~v = (~u ~v ) = ~u (~v )
(iii) ~u (~v + w)
~ = ~u ~v + ~u w
~
(iv) ~u (~v w)
~ = (~u ~v ) w
~
4

Proof.
Let ~u = u1~i + u2~j + u3~k, ~v = v1~i + v2~j + v3~k, and w
~ = w1~i + w2~j + w3~k.
(i) We have
~u ~v = (u2 v3 v2 u3 )~i (u1 v3 u3 v1 )~j + (u1 v2 u2 v1 )~k
and
~v ~u = (v2 u3 u2 v3 )~i (v1 u3 v3 u1 )~j + (v1 u2 v2 u1 )~k.
Hence, ~u ~v = ~v ~u
(ii) We have
(~u) ~v =[(u2 )v3 v2 (u3 )]~i [(u1 )v3 (u3 )v1 ]~j + [(u1 )v2 (u2 )v1 ]~k
=[(u2 v3 v2 u3 )~i (u1 v3 u3 v1 )~j + (u1 v2 u2 v1 )~k]
=(~u ~v ).
(iii) We leave this to the reader.
(iv) We have
~u (~v w)
~ =(u1~i + u2~j + u3~k) ((v2 w3 w2 v3 )~i (v1 w3 v3 w1 )~j + (v1 w2 v2 w1 )~k)
=u1 (v2 w3 w2 v3 ) u2 (v1 w3 v3 w1 ) + u3 (v1 w2 v2 w1 )
=u1 v2 w3 u1 w2 v3 u2 v1 w3 + u2 v3 w1 + u3 v1 w2 u3 v2 w1
=(u2 v3 v2 u3 )w1 (u1 v3 u3 v1 )w2 + (u1 v2 u2 v1 )w3
=((u2 v3 v2 u3 )~i (u1 v3 u3 v1 )~j + (u1 v2 u2 v1 )~k) w
~
=(~u ~v ) w
~
Example 10.4.3
Find the area of the parallelogram with edges ~u = 3~i3~j +~k and ~v = 4~i+9~j +2~k
Solution.
From Example 10.4.2, we found that
~u ~v = 15~i 2~j + 39~k.
Thus
Area of Parallelogram = ||~u ~v || =

(15)2 + (2)2 + 392 = 5 70

Volume of a Parallelepiped
Consider the parallelepiped spanned by the vectors ~a, ~b, and ~c as shown in Figure
10.4.4.

Figure 10.4.4
The volume of this figure is the area of the base times the height. We already
know the area of the parallelogram base: ||~a ~b||. The height is the component
of ~c in the direction normal to the base, i.e., in the direction of ~a ~b. Hence the
height is ||~c|| | cos | (the absolute value is needed for if > 2 then cos < 0).
The volume of the parallelepiped is therefore




Volume = ||~a ~b|| ||~c|| cos  = |(~a ~b) ~c|.
But recall that the components

 a a3
~
~a b =  2
b2 b3

of ~a ~b are




~i  a1 a3

 b1 b3





 ~j +  a1

 b1


a2  ~
k.
b2 

Hence,


(~a ~b) ~c = 



= 


a2
b2
c1
a1
b1



 a1
a3 

c

1
 b1

b3

c2 c3 
a2 a3 
b2 b3 



 a1
a3 

c
+
2
 b1

b3


a2 
c
b2  3

and the volume of the parallelepiped is just the absolute value of this determinant.
Remark 10.4.2
A simple algebra shows







that
c1
a1
b1

c2
a2
b2

c3
a3
b3

 
  a1
 
 =  b1
 
  c1

a2
b2
c2

a3
b3
c3

Example 10.4.4
Find the volume of the parallelepiped spanned by the vectors ~a =< 2, 3, 1 >
, ~b =< 0, 4, 0 >, and ~c =< 1, 3, 3 > .
6

Solution.
Since

 2

~
(~a b) ~c =  0
 1


3 1 
4 0 
3 3 

= 2(12 0) 3(0 0) + 1(0 + 4) = 20,

the volume of the parallelepiped is | 20| = 20
Application: Torque
A torque is the tendency of a force to rotate an object about an axis. Just as
a force is a push or a pull, a torque can be thought of as a twist to an object.
For example, pushing or pulling the handle of a wrench connected to a nut or
bolt produces a torque (turning force) that loosens or tightens the nut or bolt.
See Figure 10.4.5.

Figure 10.4.5
Mathematically, torque is defined as the cross product of the position vector of
the point where the force is applied and the force vector, which tends to produce
rotation.
Let ~ denote the torque vector, ~r the vector with tail the origin of the coordinates
system and its tip is the point where the acting force is applied, F~ the acting
force vector applied at the tip of ~r. We have
~ = ~r F~ = (||~r||||F~ || sin )~n
where is the angle between the position and force vectors and ~n is a vector
normal to the two vectors. Observe that the only component of F~ that can
cause a rotation is the one perpendicular to ~r, that is, ||F~ || sin .
Example 10.4.5
A wrench 30 cm long lies along the positive yaxis and grips a bolt at the
origin. A force is applied in the direction < 0, 3, 4 > at the end of the wrench.
Find the magnitude of the force needed to supply 100 N m of torque to the
bolt.
Solution.
We have ~r =< 0, 0.3, 0 > and ||~ || = 100. Thus, ||F~ || =
cos =

||~
||
||~
r ||| sin | .

< 0, 0.3, 0 > < 0, 3, 4 >

= 0.6.
|| < 0, 0.3, 0 > |||| < 0, 3, 4 > ||
7

Now,

Hence, = cos1 (0.6) 53.1 . Thus, ||F~ || =

100
0.3 sin 53.1

417 N