Physics > Basic Vectors > 11.0 Cross product of two vectors
Basic Vectors
1.0 Introduction
2.0 Representation of vector
3.0 Basic definition related with vectors
3.1 Unit vector
3.2 Negative of a vector
3.3 Modulus of a vector
3.4 Multiplication and division of vectors by scalars
4.0 Types of vectors
4.1 Equal vectors
4.2 Parallel vectors
4.3 Anti-parallel vectors
4.4 Collinear vectors
4.5 Coplanar vectors
4.6 Zero or null vectors
5.0 Angle between the vectors
6.0 Addition of vectors
6.1 Triangle law of vector addition
6.2 Parallelogram law of vector addition
6.3 Relation between triangle and parallelogram law of vector addition
7.0 Subtraction of vectors
8.0 Cartesian co-ordinate system
8.1 Unit vector in cartesian co-ordinate system
8.2 Position vector of a point
8.3 Displacement vector
9.0 Resolving vector into its components
10.0 Dot product of two vectors
10.1 Properties of dot product
10.2 Condition when two vectors are perpendicular
10.3 Angle between two vectors
10.4 Geometrical meaning of scalar product
10.5 Application of dot product
11.0 Cross product of two vectors
11.1 Direction of cross product
3.2 Negative of a vector
3.3 Modulus of a vector
3.4 Multiplication and division of vectors by scalars
4.2 Parallel vectors
4.3 Anti-parallel vectors
4.4 Collinear vectors
4.5 Coplanar vectors
4.6 Zero or null vectors
6.2 Parallelogram law of vector addition
6.3 Relation between triangle and parallelogram law of vector addition
8.2 Position vector of a point
8.3 Displacement vector
10.2 Condition when two vectors are perpendicular
10.3 Angle between two vectors
10.4 Geometrical meaning of scalar product
10.5 Application of dot product
The direction of a cross-product can be easily determined by using right hand thumb rule.
Cross-product is given by, $$\overrightarrow A \times \overrightarrow B = \left| {\overrightarrow A } \right|\left| {\overrightarrow B } \right|\sin \theta \widehat n$$
The direction of $\overrightarrow A \times \overrightarrow B $ is the direction of rotation when $\overrightarrow A $ is rotated towards $\overrightarrow B $ through an angle $\theta$.
So, to find the direction of $\overrightarrow A \times \overrightarrow B $, we will use right hand thumb rule.
We will curl our finger in anti clockwise direction from $\overrightarrow A $ to $\overrightarrow B $.
So, the direction of $\overrightarrow A \times \overrightarrow B $ is upwards.
SImilarly, direction of $\overrightarrow B \times \overrightarrow A $ is downwards.
