Calculus and Vectors How to get an A+

7.7 Applications of the Dot and Cross Product

2010 Iulia & Teodoru Gugoiu - Page 1 of 2
7.7 Applications of the Dot and Cross Product

A Work
The work W done by a constant force F
r
acting
on an object during a displacement d
r
is given by:
cos d F d F W = =
r r


where
) , ( d F
r r
=
) ( ] [
) ( ] [ ) ( ] [
Joule J W
meter m d Newton N F
SI
SI SI
=
= =
r r

Ex 1. A box is pulled a horizontal distance of m 100 by a force
of N 500 applied at an angle of 30 to the horizontal line.
Calculate the amount of work done.



kJ J m N d F W 3 . 43 3 25000 30 cos ) 100 )( 500 ( cos = = =


Ex 2. An object with a weight of N 50 is moved, in
vertical plane, along to the path ABCA as
presented in the next figure where m AB 6 = and
m AC 3 = .


Find the work done by the force of gravity:

a) from A to B
J d F W
m AB d
N F
0 ) 0 )( 50 ( ) 6 )( 0 (
) 0 , 6 (
) 50 , 0 (
= + = =
= =
=
r r
r
r

b) from B to C
J d F W
m BC d
N F
150 ) 3 )( 50 ( ) 6 )( 0 (
) 3 , 6 (
) 50 , 0 (
= + = =
= =
=
r r
r
r


c) from C to A
J d F W
m CA d
N F
150 ) 3 )( 50 ( ) 0 )( 0 (
) 3 , 0 (
) 50 , 0 (
= + = =
= =
=
r r
r
r


d) along to the path ABCA
J F d F W
AA d
N F
0 0
0
) 50 , 0 (
= = =
= =
=
r r r r
r r
r

B Torque
The torque (rotational or turning effect) about the
point A , created by a force F
r
acting on an object
located at the point B is given by:

sin || || F r
F r F AB
=
= =
r
r
r
r
r


where:
Nm
Newtom N F
meter AB r
r F
SI
SI
=
=
=
=
] [
) ( ] [
) (
) , (

r
r
r
r
r

Ex 3. A wrench cm 30 long is used to loose a bolt by applying
a force of N 20 (see the figure below). Find the magnitude of
the torque.


Nm
Nm F r
AB F
N F
m cm AB r
3 || ||
3 150 sin ) 20 )( 3 . 0 ( sin || ||
150 30 180 ) , (
20
3 . 0 30
=
= = =
= = =
=
= = =

r
r
r



Calculus and Vectors How to get an A+

7.7 Applications of the Dot and Cross Product
2010 Iulia & Teodoru Gugoiu - Page 2 of 2
C Parallelogram Area
The area of a parallelogram defined by the vectors
a
r
and b
r
is determined by the formula:
) , (
sin || || || || || ||
b a
b a b a A
r
r
r
r
r
r
=
= =

Ex 4. Find the area of the parallelogram defined by the
vectors ) 0 , 1 , 1 ( = a
r
and ) 2 , 1 , 0 ( = b
r
.

3
3 9 1 ) 2 ( ) 2 ( || ||
) 1 , 2 , 2 (
) 0 1 ( ) 2 0 ( ) 0 2 (
1 0 2 1 0
1 1 0 1 1
2 2 2
=
= = + + = =
=
+ + = =
A
b a A
k j i
j i k j i
b a
r
r
r r r
r r r r r
r
r

D Triangle Area
The area of a triangle defined by the vectors a
r

and b
r
is given by:
) , (
sin || || || ||
2
1
|| ||
2
1
b a
b a b a A
r
r
r
r
r
r
=
= =

Ex 5. Find the area of the triangle ABC where ) 2 , 1 , 0 ( A ,
) 2 , 0 , 1 ( B , and ) 0 , 2 , 1 ( C .
) 2 , 3 , 1 ( ) 2 , 1 , 0 ( ) 0 , 2 , 1 (
) 0 , 1 , 1 ( ) 2 , 1 , 0 ( ) 2 , 0 , 1 (
= =
= =
AC
AB

6 24
2
1
4 ) 2 ( 2
2
1
|| ||
2
1
) 4 , 2 , 2 (
) 1 3 ( ) 2 0 ( ) 0 2 (
3 1 2 3 1
1 1 0 1 1
2 2 2
= = + + = =
=
+ + + =

=
b a A
k j i
j i k j i
AC AB
r
r
r r r
r r r r r

E Parallelepiped Volume
The volume of a parallelepiped defined by the
vectors a
r
, b
r
, and c
r
is given by:
| ) ( | | ) ( | | ) ( | a c b c b a b a c V
r r
r
r
r
r
r
r r
= = =


Proof:

| ) ( |
|| ||
) (
|| ||
| ) ( | || ||
b a c
b a
b a c
b a
b a onto c SProj b a h A V
base
r
r r
r
r
r
r r
r
r
r
r r
r
r
=

=
= =

Ex 6. Find the volume of the parallelepiped defined by the
vectors ) 3 , 1 , 0 ( = a
r
, ) 3 , 2 , 1 ( = b
r
and ) 1 , 0 , 1 ( = c
r
.
10 | 10 | | ) ( |
10 ) 2 )( 3 ( ) 4 )( 1 ( ) 2 )( 0 ( ) (
) 2 , 4 , 2 (
) 2 0 ( ) 1 3 ( ) 0 2 (
0 1 1 0 1
2 1 3 2 1
= = =
= + + =
=
+ + + =

=
c b a V
c b a
k j i
j i k j i
c b
r
r
r
r
r
r
r r r
r r r r r
r
r



Ex 7. Find an unit vector perpendicular to both ) 1 , 1 , 0 ( = a
r
and
) 0 , 1 , 1 ( = b
r
.
The vector
|| || b a
b a
u r
r
r
r
r

= is an unit vector, perpendicular to both

a
r
and b
r
.

=

=

=
=
+ + = =
3
1
,
3
1
,
3
1
3
) 1 , 1 , 1 (
|| ||
) 1 , 1 , 1 (
) 1 0 ( ) 0 1 ( ) 1 0 (
1 1 0 1 1
1 0 1 1 0
b a
b a
u
k j i
j i k j i
b a
r
r
r
r
r
r r r
r r r r r
r
r


Reading: Nelson Textbook, Pages 409-414
Homework: Nelson Textbook: Page 414 #3, 5a, 8, 10