Key Equations

Key Equations

Multiplication by a scalar (vector equation) B→=αA→B→=αA→
Multiplication by a scalar (scalar equation for magnitudes) B=|α|AB=|α|A
Resultant of two vectors D→AD=D→AC+D→CDD→AD=D→AC+D→CD
Commutative law A→+B→=B→+A→A→+B→=B→+A→
Associative law (A→+B→)+C→=A→+(B→+C→)(A→+B→)+C→=A→+(B→+C→)
Distributive law α1A→+α2A→=(α1+α2)A→α1A→+α2A→=(α1+α2)A→
The component form of a vector in two dimensions A→=Axi^+Ayj^A→=Axi^+Ayj^
Scalar components of a vector in two dimensions {Ax=xe−xb Ay=ye−yb{Ax=xe−xb Ay=ye−yb
Magnitude of a vector in a plane A=Ax2+Ay2A=Ax2+Ay2
The direction angle of a vector in a plane θA=tan−1(AyAx)θA=tan−1(AyAx)
Scalar components of a vector in a plane {Ax=AcosθA Ay=AsinθA{Ax=AcosθA Ay=AsinθA
Polar coordinates in a plane {x=rcosφ y=rsinφ{x=rcosφ y=rsinφ
The component form of a vector in three dimensions A→=Axi^+Ayj^+Azk^A→=Axi^+Ayj^+Azk^
The scalar z-component of a vector in three dimensions Az=ze−zbAz=ze−zb
Magnitude of a vector in three dimensions A=Ax2+Ay2+Az2A=Ax2+Ay2+Az2
Distributive property α(A→+B→)=αA→+αB→α(A→+B→)=αA→+αB→
Antiparallel vector to A→A→ −A→=−Axi^−Ayj^−Azk^−A→=−Axi^−Ayj^−Azk^
Equal vectors A→=B→⇔{Ax=Bx Ay=By Az=BzA→=B→⇔{Ax=Bx Ay=By Az=Bz
Components of the resultant of N vectors {FRx=∑k=1NFkx=F1x+F2x+…+FNx FRy=∑k=1NFky=F1y+F2y+…+FNy FRz=∑k=1NFkz=F1z+F2z+…+FNz{FRx=∑k=1NFkx=F1x+F2x+…+FNx FRy=∑k=1NFky=F1y+F2y+…+FNy FRz=∑k=1NFkz=F1z+F2z+…+FNz
General unit vector V^=V→VV^=V→V
Definition of the scalar product A→·B→=ABcosφA→·B→=ABcosφ
Commutative property of the scalar product A→·B→=B→·A→A→·B→=B→·A→
Distributive property of the scalar product A→·(B→+C→)=A→·B→+A→·C→A→·(B→+C→)=A→·B→+A→·C→
Scalar product in terms of scalar components of vectors A→·B→=AxBx+AyBy+AzBzA→·B→=AxBx+AyBy+AzBz
Cosine of the angle between two vectors cosφ=A→·B→ABcosφ=A→·B→AB
Dot products of unit vectors i^·j^=j^·k^=k^·i^=0i^·j^=j^·k^=k^·i^=0
Magnitude of the vector product (definition) |A→×B→|=ABsinφ|A→×B→|=ABsinφ
Anticommutative property of the vector product A→×B→=−B→×A→A→×B→=−B→×A→
Distributive property of the vector product A→×(B→+C→)=A→×B→+A→×C→A→×(B→+C→)=A→×B→+A→×C→
Cross products of unit vectors {i^×j^=+k^, j^×k^=+i^, k^×i^=+j^.{i^×j^=+k^, j^×k^=+i^, k^×i^=+j^.
The cross product in terms of scalar
components of vectors
A→×B→=(AyBz−AzBy)i^+(AzBx−AxBz)j^+(AxBy−AyBx)k^A→×B→=(AyBz−AzBy)i^+(AzBx−AxBz)j^+(AxBy−AyBx)k^