01

NOTE
P H Y S I C S

MATHEMATICAL TOOLS
CROSS PRODUCT

What you already know What you will learn

• Vector addition • Cross product

• Vector subtraction • Geometrical representation of cross
product
• Vector multiplication
• Properties of cross product
• Properties and application of dot product
• Applications of cross product

BOARDS
Cross Product

Multiplication of two coplanar vector gives a vector that has magnitude equal to the product of the
magnitudes of two vectors, with the sine of angle between them and direction perpendicular to the
plane containing the two vectors.

→ → →

A×B B

→ → → → v v 𝜽
A × B = |A| × |B| sin 𝜽 n = AB sin 𝜽 n →
A
→ →
B×A

v → →
n is the unit normal vector perpendicular to the plane containing A and B that gives the direction
→ →
of A × B.

Right-hand thumb rule

→ →
To find the direction of A × B  →
→
C
→ → C
• Draw A and B tail to tail
→
• Place the stretched right palm perpendicular to the plane A
→ → →
→ → → B A B
of A and B, such that the fingers are along A, and when the
→
fingers are closed, they go towards B.

• The direction in which the thumb points gives the direction of

→ → →
C =A × B.

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 02

Geometrical Representation of cross product

→

Cross product of two vectors gives area of the

parallelogram formed by taking them along two adjacent →
B
sides.
Area of the parallelogram = (base)(height) = AB sin 𝜽 𝜽
→
A

Area is a vector quantity and its direction is outwards, towards a unit vector normal to the
plane.

y
→
A
→ → → →
Find the magnitude and direction of 𝐴 × 𝐵 and 𝐵 × 𝐴,
→ →
where 𝐴  & 𝐵 lies in 𝑥−𝑦 plane. 5

30o
4 → x
O B

Solution
→ → → → → →
|𝐴|= 5, |𝐵| = 4 and the angle between them 𝜃 |𝐵 × 𝐴| = |𝐵||𝐴| sin 𝜃
= 30°
= 4 × 5 × sin 30° = 10
→ → → →
|𝐴 × 𝐵| = |𝐴||𝐵| sin 𝜃
Using the right-hand thumb rule, the direction
→ →
= 5 × 4 × sin 30° = 10 of 𝐵 × 𝐴 is along + 𝑧 direction.
→ →→
v
Using the right hand thumb rule, the direction (B × A) = + 10𝑘
→ →
of 𝐴 × 𝐵 is along − 𝑧 direction.
v
→ →
(𝐴 × 𝐵) = - 10𝑘

vvv
Vector product of orthogonal unit vectors (𝒊, 𝒋, 𝒌)

v v v v v v
In the right-handed coordinate system, the 𝑖  × 𝑗  = 𝑘, 𝑗 × 𝑖 = −𝑘
coordinate axes 𝑋, 𝑌, and 𝑍 are chosen such v v v v v v
𝑗  × 𝑘 = 𝑖, 𝑘 × 𝑗 = −𝑖
that, the bending of the fingers of the right v v v v v v
hand from 𝑋 to 𝑌 will lead the thumb along the 𝑘  × 𝑖 = 𝑗, 𝑖 × 𝑘 = −𝑗
𝑍-axis. v v v v v v
𝑖  × 𝑖 =𝑗 × 𝑗 =𝑘 × 𝑘 =0
Using this, the direction of cross product can be found as shown.

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 03

Cross product when vectors are in rectangular form

→ v v v → v v v → →
Let 𝑨 = 𝑨𝒙 𝒊  + 𝑨𝒚 𝒋  + 𝑨𝒛 𝒌, and 𝑩  = 𝑩𝒙 𝒊  + 𝑩𝒚 𝒋  + 𝑩𝒛 𝒌. Then, cross product of 𝐴  and 𝐵 can be given as:

→ → v v v v v v v v v
𝑨  × 𝑩=(𝐴𝑥𝑖  + 𝐴𝑦 𝑗 + 𝐴𝑧𝑘) × (𝐵𝑥𝑖 + 𝐵𝑦 𝑗  + 𝐵𝑧𝑘) = (𝐴𝑦 𝐵𝑧 − 𝐴𝑧 𝐵𝑦) 𝑖 − (𝐴𝑥 𝐵𝑧− 𝐵𝑥 𝐴𝑧)𝑗  + (𝐴𝑥 𝐵𝑦− 𝐵𝑥 𝐴𝑦)𝑘

Determinant method v v v
𝑖 𝑗 𝑘
→ → v v v v v v
𝐴 × 𝐵 = (𝐴𝑥 𝑖  + 𝐴𝑦 𝑗  + 𝐴𝑧 𝑘) × (𝐵𝑥 𝑖  + 𝐵𝑦 𝑗  +𝐵𝑧 𝑘) = 𝐴𝑥 𝐴y 𝐴z
B𝑥 By Bz
v
= 𝑖  {𝐴𝑦 𝐵𝑧 - 𝐴𝑧 𝐵𝑦}
v
- 𝑗  {𝐴𝑥 𝐵𝑧 - 𝐴𝑧 𝐵𝑥}
v
+ 𝑘  {𝐴𝑥 𝐵𝑦 - 𝐴𝑦 𝐵𝑥}
→ → v v v
𝐴  × 𝐵 = (𝐴𝑦 𝐵𝑧 − By Az) 𝑖 − (𝐴𝑥 𝐵𝑧−𝐵𝑥 𝐴𝑧)𝑗  + (𝐴𝑥 𝐵𝑦− 𝐵𝑥 𝐴𝑦)𝑘

→ v v v v v v
→ → →
Find 𝐴 × 𝐵, where 𝐴 = 2𝑖 − 5𝑗  + 3𝑘  and 𝐵  = 3𝑖  + 4𝑗  − 9𝑘.

Solution
→ v v v v v v
→
𝐴 × 𝐵 =(2𝑖  − 5𝑗  + 3𝑘) × (3𝑖  + 4𝑗  − 9𝑘)
v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v v
=6(𝑖  × 𝑖  ) − 15(𝑗  × 𝑖  ) + 9(𝑘  × 𝑖  ) +8(𝑖  × 𝑗 ) − 20(𝑗  × 𝑗 ) + 12(𝑘  × 𝑗 ) − 18 (𝑖  × 𝑘 ) + 45(𝑗  × 𝑘) − 27 (𝑘 × 𝑘)
→ → v v v
𝐴 × 𝐵 = 𝑖 (45 − 12) −𝑗  (−18 −9) + 𝑘  (8 + 15)
→ v v v
→
𝐴  × 𝐵  = 33𝑖  + 27𝑗  + 23𝑘 

v v v v v v
→ → → →
Determinant method, find 𝐴 × 𝐵, where 𝐴 = 2𝑖  − 5𝑗 + 3𝑘  and 𝐵 = 3𝑖  + 4𝑗  − 9𝑘.

Solution
v v v
𝑖 𝑗 𝑘
→ → v
𝐴 × 𝐵 = 2 -5 3 → → v v
𝐴 ×𝐵  = 33𝑖  + 27𝑗  + 23𝑘 
3 4 -9
→ → v v v
𝐴 × 𝐵 = 𝑖 (45 − 12) −𝑗  (−18 −9) + 𝑘  (8 + 15)

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 04

NEET
Properties of Cross Product Applications of Cross Product

• Vector product of two vectors is not → →

→ → → → → |𝐴 × B| = 𝐴𝐵 sin𝜽
commutative, i.e., 𝐴 × 𝐵 ≠𝐵 × 𝐴. But |𝐴 × Area of paralellogram
→ → → → = (Base)(height)
But |𝐴 × 𝐵| = |𝐵 × 𝐴| = 𝐴𝐵 𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝜽.
• The vector product is distributive, when 1 |𝐴 × 𝐵| = 1 𝐴𝐵 sin𝜽
→ →
the order of vectors is strictly maintained, 2 2
→ → → → → → → Area of triangle 1
i.e., 𝐴 × (𝐵 + C) = 𝐴 × 𝐵 + 𝐴 × C. = (Base)(height)
2
• The vector product of two vectors will
be maximum when the vectors are v → → →
Unit vector perpendicular C 𝐴×𝐵
orthogonal. C= → = → →
to two vectors |C| |𝐴 × 𝐵|
• The vector product of two non-zero
vectors will be minimum when they are →
parallel or anti-parallel to each other. Moment of force → →
𝝉 = 𝒓 × 𝑭

Area of Parallelogram and Triangle

Calculate the area of

v the parallelogramv v when adjacent sides are given by the
→ v v → v
vectors 𝐴 = 𝑖 + 2𝑗  + 3𝑘  and 𝐵 = 2𝑖  − 3𝑗  + 𝑘.

Solution
→ →
We know that the area of parallelogram =|𝐴 × 𝐵|
→ → v v v v v v
𝐴 × 𝐵 = (1𝑖 + 2𝑗  + 3𝑘) × (2𝑖  − 3𝑗  + 1𝑘)
v v v
𝑖 𝑗 𝑘
→ → → →
𝐴 × 𝐵 = 1 2 3 |𝐴 ×𝐵| =√195 sq.unit
2 -3 1

→ → v v v
𝐴 × 𝐵 = 𝑖  (2 + 9) −𝑗  (1 − 6) + 𝑘 (−3 −4)
v v v
= 11𝑖  + 5𝑗  − 7𝑘
→ →
Area of parallelogram = |𝐴  × 𝐵| = √(112 + 52 + (−7)2

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 05

→ v v → v v
Calculate the area of the triangle determined by the two vectors 𝐴 = 3𝑖 + 4𝑗 and 𝐵  = -3𝑖  +7𝑗.

Solution

We know that the area of triangle = 1 |𝐴 × 𝐵|

→ →
2
v v v
𝑖 𝑗 𝑘
→ → 3 4 0
𝐴 × 𝐵 =
-3 7 0
→ → v v v
𝐴 × 𝐵 = 𝑖 (0 − 0) − 𝑗 (0 − 0) + 𝑘 (21 + 12)
→ →
v
Area of triangle = 1 |𝐴 × 𝐵| = 33
→ →
𝐴 × 𝐵 = 33𝑘  sq. unit
2 2
→ →
|𝐴 × 𝐵| = √332 = 33

→ → → → → →
If 𝑎  and 𝑏  are two vectors such that |𝑎| = 4, |𝑏| = 3 and |𝑎 × 𝑏| = 6, find the angle between
→ →
𝑎 and 𝑏.

Solution
→ → → →
Given |𝑎| = 4, |𝑏| = 3 and |𝑎 × 𝑏| = 6
Angle between the vectors:
→ →
|𝑎 × 𝑏|
sin 𝜃 = → →
|𝑎||b|
6
sin 𝜃 = = 1
4×3 2
1
𝜃 = sin-1 2 ((
𝜋
𝜃= rad
6

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