ELECTROMAGNETIC
FIELDS
Vector Fields
1
Scalar: A quantity that has only magnitude.
For example time, mass, distance,
temperature and population are scalars.
Scalar is represented by a letter – e.g., A, B
Chapter 1
Vector: A quantity that has both magnitude
and direction.
Example: Velocity, force, displacement and
electric field intensity.
Vector is represent by a letter such as A, B,
orB
Chapter 1 3
A unit vector along A is defined as a vector
whose magnitude is unity (i.e., 1) and its
direction is along A.
It can be written as aA
4
Chapter 1
The sum of two vectors for example
vectors A and B can be obtain by moving
one of them so that its terminal point (tip)
coincides with the initial point (tail) of the
other Terminal point
+B
initial
B B
initial
Terminal point
+B
5
Chapter 1
Vector subtraction is similarly carried out as
D = A – B = A + (-B)
-B
-B
B
-B B
Figure (a) Figure (c)
Figure (c) shows that vector D is a
-B vector that is must be added to B to
give vector A
-B So if vector A and B are placed tail to
tail then vector D is a vector that runs
from the tip of B to A.
Figure (b)
6
Chapter 1
Vector Add and Subtract
Scalar (dot ) product (A•B)
Vector (cross) product (A X B)
Scalar triple product A • (B X C)
Vector triple product A X (B X C)
Chapter 1 8
Multiplication of a scalar k to a vector A gives a
vector that points in the same direction as A and
magnitude equal to |kA|
The division of a vector by a scalar quantity is a
multiplication of the vector by the reciprocal of
the scalar quantity.
9
Chapter 1
The dot product of two vectors and , written
B as
is defined as the product of the
magnitude of and , and the projection of
onto (or vice versa).
Thus ;
Where θ is the angle between and . The result
of dot product is a scalar quantity.
10
Chapter 1
The cross (or vector) product of two vectors
A and B, defined as
where; a unit vector perpendicular to the
plane that contains the two vectors. The
direction of is taken as the direction of the
right thumb (using right-hand rule)
The product of cross product is a vector
11
Chapter 1
Chapter 1 12
A direct application of vector product is in
determining the projection (or component) of a
vector in a given direction. The projection can
be scalar or vector.
Given a vector A, we define the scalar
component AB of A along vector B as
AB = A cos θAB = |A||aB| cos θAB
or AB = A·aB
Chapter 1 13
If and
then
Chapter 1 14
If and
then
which is obtained by multiplying A and B
component by component.
It follows that modulus of a vector is
Chapter 1 15
Cross product of the unit vectors yield:
Chapter 1 16
● If A=(Ax, Ay, Az), B=(Bx, By, Bz) then
● Note
Chapter 1 17
If A=(Ax, Ay, Az), B=(Bx, By, Bz) then
Chapter 1 18
Example 1
Example 2
Given three vectors P =
Q=
R=
Determine
a) (P+Q) X (P-Q)
b) Q•(R X P)
c) P•(Q X R)
d)
e) P X( Q X R)
f) A unit vector perpendicular to both Q and
R
20
Chapter 1
Chapter 1 21
Chapter 1 22
To find the determinant of a 3 X 3 matrix, we repeat the first
two rows and cross multiply; when the cross multiplication is
from right to left, the result should be negated as shown
below. This technique of finding a determinant applies only to
a 3 X 3 matrix. Hence
Chapter 1 23
Chapter 1 24
Chapter 1 25
Chapter 1 26
