How do I transform a cross product using an orthogonal matrix?

In summary, the conversation discusses a problem with transforming a vector using a coordinate transformation matrix. The speaker has attempted to use the cross product method, but it does not seem to work. They ask for hints on how to think about the problem and question why their solution is not correct. The conversation also mentions a given coordinate transformation matrix and the correct answer for the transformed vector.
  • #1
octol
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I've been banging my head against this problem for some time now, and I just can't solve it. The problem seems fairly simple, but for some reason I don't get it.

Given the coordinate transformation matrix

[tex]A=\left( \begin{array}{ccc}\cos{\alpha}&0&-\sin{\alpha}\\0&1&0\\\sin{\alpha}&0&\cos{\alpha}\end{array}\right)[/tex]

show how

[tex]\mathbf{B}=\mathbf{r} \times \hat{z}[/tex]

transforms. Now how do I do this? For example, I've tried writing out the cross product, which becomes
[tex]\mathbf{B} = -y\hat{x} + x\hat{y}[/tex]
and then simply transforming this vector using the above matrix A, but it doesn't seem to work.

Any hints on how to think about this?
 
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  • #2
Why do you say "it doesn't seem to work"?
[tex]\left( \begin{array}{ccc}\cos{\alpha}&0&-\sin{\alpha}\\0&1&0\\\sin{\alpha}&0&\cos{\alpha}\end{array}\right)\left(\begin{array}{c}-y\\x\\0 \end{array}\right)= \left(\begin{array}{c}y cos(\alpha)\\ x\\y sin(\alpha)\end{array}\right)[/tex]
Is that what you got?

The transformation is, of course, a rotation around the y-axis, through the angle [itex]\alpha[/itex] so that the y component, here x, stays the same.
 
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  • #3
well yes that is what I got, but in the answer sheet it says the answer is supposed to be

[tex]\mathbf{B}' = y' \cos{\alpha} \hat{x}' - (x' \cos{\alpha} + z'\sin{\alpha}) \hat{y}' + y' \sin{\alpha}\hat{z}'[/tex]

which I simply don't understand, both how to get the y-component, or why the x,y,z components are all primed? Is it not supposed to be the same vector in a different coordinate system?

This problem is in the chapter about tensors and such, if that makes any difference...
 
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1. What is an orthogonal transformation?

An orthogonal transformation is a type of linear transformation that preserves the length of vectors and the angles between them. This means that the transformed vectors are still orthogonal (perpendicular) to each other after the transformation.

2. How is an orthogonal transformation different from other types of transformations?

Unlike other linear transformations, such as scaling or shearing, an orthogonal transformation does not distort the shape or orientation of objects. It only rotates, reflects, or flips the objects without changing their size or proportions.

3. What are some real-life applications of orthogonal transformations?

Orthogonal transformations are commonly used in computer graphics and computer vision for tasks such as image rotation, 3D object rotation, and image registration. They are also used in statistics for data dimensionality reduction and in physics for describing rotational and vibrational motions.

4. How do you represent an orthogonal transformation mathematically?

An orthogonal transformation can be represented by an orthogonal matrix, which is a square matrix with orthogonal columns (unit vectors that are perpendicular to each other). The transformation can be applied to a vector by multiplying it with the orthogonal matrix.

5. Can an orthogonal transformation be undone?

Yes, an orthogonal transformation is reversible and can be undone by multiplying the transformed vector with the inverse of the orthogonal matrix. This is because orthogonal matrices are always invertible, and their inverse is equal to their transpose (switching rows and columns).

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