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4. SCALAR (DOT) PRODUCT OF TWO VECTORS

1. The scalar product or (dot product) : The scalar product of two vectors b and a is a scalar and is
defined as the product of the magnitude of b and a and the cosine of the angle between them.
i.e., = .cos | b | . | a | b . a , < 0 .
2. Two non zero vectors b and a are perpendicular if and only if their dot product is zero.
3. Projection of b and a is
| b |
| b . a |
the orthogonal projection of b and a is b

) b

. a ( or
| b |
b ) b . a (
2
.
The component vector of b along a is b

) b

. a ( or
| b |
b ) b . a (
2
.
The component vector of b to lar perpendicu a is
2
| b |
b ) b . a (
a .
Note : The component vector of b along a is equal to the orthogonal projection of b on a .
4. If k a j a i a a
3 2 1
+ + = , k b j b i b b
3 2 1
+ + = , then
i)
3 3 2 2 1 1
b a b a b a b . a + + =
ii) If is the angle between b and a , then cos =


+ +
=
2
1
2
1
3 3 2 2 1 1
b . a
b a b a b a
| b || a |
b . a

iii) sin =
( )( )

2
1
2
1
2
2 3 3 2
b a
) b a b (a

iv) a . b b . a = (dot product is commutative)
v) ) b . a -( b ). a ( ) b .(- a = =
vi) b . a ) b . a ( b . a = =
vii)
2 2
a | a | a . a = =
viii) b . a 2 | b | | a | ) b a (
2 2 2
+ =
ix) and ) b a ( 2 ) b a ( ) b a (
2 2 2 2
+ = = +
b . a 4 ) b a ( ) b a (
2 2
= +
x) = + +
2
) c b a (
) a . c ( 2 ) c . b ( 2 ) b . a ( 2 c b a
2 2 2
+ + + + +
xi) ) b a ( ). b a ( b a
2 2
+ =
xii) c . a b . a ) c b .( a + = + , dot product is left distributive over vector addition.
xiii) c . b c . a c ). b a ( + = + , dot product is right distributive over vector addition.
5. For the unit orthognormal vectors k , j , i
i) 1 k . k j . j i . i = = =
ii) 0 i . k k . j j . i = = =
6. For any vector k ) k . r ( j ) j . r ( i ) i . r ( r , r + + =
7. Work done by a force F in displacing a particle from A to B is given by AB . F W =
8. If the length of the perpendicular from the origin be p ( >0) and n

be the unit vector perpendicular

to the plane then the equation of the plane is p n

. r = .
Scalar (dot) Product of Vectors
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9. The vector equation of a plane through a point a and perpendicular to a unit vector n

is
0 n

). a r ( = .
10. If
1
and
2
be two planes whose equations are
2 2 2 1 1 1
q m . r , q m . r = = , then the angle between the
planes is

| m | . | m |
m . m
Cos
2 1
2 1 1
.
11. Perpendicular distance from the origin to the plane n

. a is 0 n

). a r ( = , where a is the position

vector of a point in the plane and n

is the unit vector perpendicular to the plane.