Vectors and The Geometry of Space
Vectors and The Geometry of Space
Vectors and The Geometry of Space
VECTORS AND
THE GEOMETRY OF SPACE
11.2
The Dot Product
In this section, we will learn about:
Various concepts related to the dot product
and its applications.
Definition 1
DOT PRODUCT
SCALAR PRODUCT
DOT PRODUCT
Though Definition 1 is given for threedimensional (3-D) vectors, the dot product
of two-dimensional vectors is defined in
a similar fashion:
a1, a2 b1, b2 = a1b1 + a2b2
DOT PRODUCT
Example 1
2, 4 3, 1 = 2(3) + 4(1) = 2
1, 7, 4 6, 2, = (1)(6) + 7(2) + 4()
=6
DOT PRODUCT
Theorem 2
1. a a=|a|
2. a b b
a
3. a (b c) a
b a c
4. (ca) b c(a
b) a (cb)
5. 0 a 0
aa
Proof
Proof
a (b + c)
= a1, a2, a3 b1 + c1, b2 + c2, b3 + c3
= a1(b1 + c1) + a2(b2 + c2) + a3(b3 + c3)
= a1b1 + a1c1 + a2b2 + a2c2 + a3b3 + a3c3
= (a1b1 + a2b2 + a3b3) + (a1c1 + a2c2 + a3c3)
=ab+ac
GEOMETRIC INTERPRETATION
GEOMETRIC INTERPRETATION
DOT PRODUCT
DOT PRODUCTDEFINITION
Theorem 3
DOT PRODUCTDEFINITION
ProofEquation 4
DOT PRODUCTDEFINITION
However,
|OA| = |a|
|OB| = |b|
|AB| = |a b|
Proof
DOT PRODUCTDEFINITION
ProofEquation 5
DOT PRODUCTDEFINITION
Proof
DOT PRODUCTDEFINITION
Proof
Thus,
2a b = 2|a||b| cos
or
a b = |a||b| cos
DOT PRODUCT
Example 2
DOT PRODUCT
NONZERO VECTORS
Corollary 6
a b
cos
| a || b |
NONZERO VECTORS
Example 3
NONZERO VECTORS
Example 3
| a | 2 2 (1) 3
2
and
| b | 5 (3) 2 38
2
Also,
a b = 2(5) + 2(3) +(1)(2) = 2
NONZERO VECTORS
Example 3
a b
2
cos
| a || b | 3 38
So, the angle between a and b is:
2
o
cos
1.46
(or
84
)
3 38
1
ORTHOGONAL VECTORS
ORTHOGONAL VECTORS
ZERO VECTORS
ORTHOGONAL VECTORS
Theorem 7
ORTHOGONAL VECTORS
Example 4
DOT PRODUCT
DOT PRODUCT
DOT PRODUCT
DOT PRODUCT
DIRECTION ANGLES
DIRECTION COSINES
Equation 8
a1
a i
cos
| a || i | | a |
Equation 9
a2
cos
|a|
a3
cos
|a|
Equation 10
Equation 11
Therefore,
1
a cos , cos , cos
|a|
This states that the direction cosines of a
are the components of the unit vector in
the direction of a.
Example 5
| a | 1 2 3 14
2
1
cos
14
2
cos
14
3
cos
14
Example 5
Therefore,
1
74
14
cos
1
cos
1
cos
2
58
14
3
37
14
PROJECTIONS
uuu
r
uuur
The figure shows representations PQ and PR
of two vectors a and b with the same initial
point P.
PROJECTIONS
uuur
from R to the line containing PQ .
VECTOR PROJECTION
uuu
r
Then, the vector with representation PS is
called the vector projection of b onto a and is
denoted by proja b.
You can think of it as a shadow of b.
SCALAR PROJECTION
PROJECTIONS
PROJECTIONS
The equation
a b = |a||b| cos = |a|(|b| cos )
shows that:
The dot product of a and b can be interpreted
as the length of a times the scalar projection of b
onto a.
PROJECTIONS
Since
a b a
| b | cos
b
|a| |a|
PROJECTIONS
PROJECTIONS
a b
compa b
|a|
a b a a
b
proja b
2a
| a | | a | | a |
Notice that the vector projection
is the scalar projection times
the unit vector in the direction of a.
PROJECTIONS
Example 6
Example 6
PROJECTIONS
Since
| a | (2) 3 1 14
2
|a|
14
3
14
PROJECTIONS
Example 6
3 a
3
proja b
a
14 | a | 14
3 9 3
, ,
7 14 14
APPLICATIONS OF PROJECTIONS
CALCULATING WORK
CALCULATING WORK
uuu
r
is a vector F PR pointing in some other
direction, as shown.
CALCULATING WORK
CALCULATING WORK
CALCULATING WORK
Equation 12
CALCULATING WORK
CALCULATING WORK
Example 7
CALCULATING WORK
Example 7
CALCULATING WORK
Example 7
CALCULATING WORK
Example 8
CALCULATING WORK
Example 8
uuur
The displacement vector is D PQ 2,5, 2
So, by Equation 12, the work done is:
W=FD
= 3, 4, 5 2, 5, 2
= 6 + 20 + 10 = 36
If the unit of length is meters and the magnitude
of the force is measured in newtons, then the work
done is 36 joules.