WHAT IS A AXIAL VECTOR?

Axial vectors are also called pseudovectors and they never reverse their sign as we reverse their co-ordinates.

Example: Cross product of two vectors A x B

Other examples to quote are angular velocity w, angular momentum L, Torque t, auxillary magnetic field H and magnetic dipole moment m.

[pseudovector] x [pseudovector] = [pseudovector]

[vector] x [pseudovector] = [vector]

Thanks & Regards,

Vasantha Sivaraj,

askIITians faculty

A vector that does not reverse its sign when the coordinate system is changed to a new system by a reflection in the origin (i.e. x'i = -xi). An example of an axial vector is the vector product of two polar vectors, such as L = r × p, where L is the angular momentum of a particle, r is its position vector, and p is its momentum vector.