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Grade 11Wave Motion

IN WHICH DIRECTION DOES THE RESULTANT VECTOR AFTER CROSS PRODUCT,DIRECTS?90 DEGREE PARALLEL OR PERPENDICULAR TO THE VECTORS BEFORE CROSS PRODUCT??

Profile image of araku valley
16 Years agoGrade 11
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1 Answer

Profile image of Ramesh V
16 Years ago


The cross product of a and b, written a x b, is defined by:
a x b = n a b sin q
where a and b are the magnitude of vectors a and b; q is the angle between the vectors, and n is the unit vector (vector with magnitude = 1)
that is perpendicular (at 90 degrees to/ orthogonal to/ normal to) both a and b.

But there are two vectors that this could be - one on either side of the plane formed by the two vectors), so we choose n to be the one which
makes (a, b, n) a right handed triad.


7872-1356_5850_crossProduct.gif

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regards

Ramesh