Find the scalar product of the vectors A and B given in Exercise 1.38.

Verified step by step guidance

1. First, recall the definition of the scalar product (also known as the dot product) of two vectors. The scalar product of vectors \( \mathbf{A} \) and \( \mathbf{B} \) is given by \( \mathbf{A} \cdot \mathbf{B} = A_x B_x + A_y B_y + A_z B_z \), where \( A_x, A_y, A_z \) are the components of vector \( \mathbf{A} \) and \( B_x, B_y, B_z \) are the components of vector \( \mathbf{B} \).
2. Identify the components of vectors \( \mathbf{A} \) and \( \mathbf{B} \) from Exercise 1.38. Let's assume \( \mathbf{A} = (A_x, A_y, A_z) \) and \( \mathbf{B} = (B_x, B_y, B_z) \).
3. Substitute the components of vectors \( \mathbf{A} \) and \( \mathbf{B} \) into the scalar product formula: \( \mathbf{A} \cdot \mathbf{B} = A_x B_x + A_y B_y + A_z B_z \).
4. Calculate each term of the sum separately: \( A_x B_x \), \( A_y B_y \), and \( A_z B_z \).
5. Add the results of the individual products to find the scalar product: \( \mathbf{A} \cdot \mathbf{B} = A_x B_x + A_y B_y + A_z B_z \). This sum gives the scalar product of the vectors.

Key Concepts

Scalar Product

The scalar product, also known as the dot product, is a mathematical operation that takes two vectors and returns a single number. It is calculated by multiplying the magnitudes of the vectors and the cosine of the angle between them. This operation is useful for determining the angle between vectors or projecting one vector onto another.

Vector Magnitude

Vector magnitude refers to the length or size of a vector, which is calculated using the square root of the sum of the squares of its components. Understanding vector magnitude is crucial for computing the scalar product, as it is one of the factors multiplied in the dot product formula.

Angle Between Vectors

The angle between vectors is a measure of how much one vector is rotated relative to another. It is essential for calculating the scalar product, as the cosine of this angle is used in the dot product formula. Knowing the angle helps in understanding the directional relationship between vectors.