Calculus (3rd Edition)

Published by W. H. Freeman
ISBN 10: 1464125260
ISBN 13: 978-1-46412-526-3

Chapter 13 - Vector Geometry - 13.4 The Cross Product - Exercises - Page 677: 31

Answer

${\bf{e}} \times \left( {{\bf{e}}' \times {\bf{e}}} \right) = {\bf{e}}'$

Work Step by Step

Using the geometric description of the cross product given by Theorem 1, we have (i) ${\bf{e}} \bot {\bf{e}}'$ is orthogonal to ${\bf{e}}$ and ${\bf{e}}'$. Let us define the vector ${\bf{e}}{\rm{''}}$ such that ${\bf{e}}{\rm{''}} = {\bf{e}}' \times {\bf{e}}$. (ii) ${\bf{e}}{\rm{''}}$ has length $||{\bf{e}}||||{\bf{e}}'||\sin \theta $, where $\theta$ is the angle between ${\bf{e}}$ and ${\bf{e}}'$ and $0 \le \theta \le \pi $. Since ${\bf{e}}$ and ${\bf{e}}'$ are unit vectors and ${\bf{e}} \bot {\bf{e}}'$, so ${\bf{e}}{\rm{''}}$ is also a unit vector. Thus, ${\bf{e}} \times \left( {{\bf{e}}' \times {\bf{e}}} \right)$ is a unit vector. (iii) $\left\{ {{\bf{e}}',{\bf{e}},{\bf{e}}{\rm{''}}} \right\}$ forms a right-handed system. Thus, by the right-hand rule ${\bf{e}} \times {\bf{e}}{\rm{''}} = {\bf{e}} \times \left( {{\bf{e}}' \times {\bf{e}}} \right) = {\bf{e}}'$.
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