Question
Suppose vectors a&b if a x b=c. Show that c is perpendicular to a&b. Please help me.
Answers
bobpursley
it is more definitive than this. c is perpendicular to the plane a and b lie in.
you have to start with the definition of cross product
i x j=k
j x k=i
k x i=j
if a= a1 i + a2 j +a3 k and
if b= b1 i + b2 j +b3 k
then you can demonstrate with algebra (do it longhand) that
a x b= the matrix expanded for
i;j;k
a1;a2;a3
b1;b2;b3
if you expand that as a determinant,you get axb
Now notice each component of that determinant (I will do i)
(a2b3-b2a3)i Notice this is i component is the product of the j,k components of the a,b vectors. This component of the cross product is perpendicular to the cross product result.
you have to start with the definition of cross product
i x j=k
j x k=i
k x i=j
if a= a1 i + a2 j +a3 k and
if b= b1 i + b2 j +b3 k
then you can demonstrate with algebra (do it longhand) that
a x b= the matrix expanded for
i;j;k
a1;a2;a3
b1;b2;b3
if you expand that as a determinant,you get axb
Now notice each component of that determinant (I will do i)
(a2b3-b2a3)i Notice this is i component is the product of the j,k components of the a,b vectors. This component of the cross product is perpendicular to the cross product result.
Wube
Thank u so much for your help!