Cross product in non-cartesian coordinates?

[moonman]

How do you go about crossing two vectors if they are in cylindrical coordinates? I have one vector in the direction of R and another in the direction of theta. Can this be done?

 

[dextercioby]

Certainly.

Daniel.

 

[OlderDan]

How do you go about crossing two vectors if they are in cylindrical coordinates? I have one vector in the direction of R and another in the direction of theta. Can this be done?

Two vectors (non-parallel) lie in a plane. The cross product is always a vector perpendiculat to that plane. When the two original vectors are perpendicular, the magnitude of the cross product is the product of the magnitutes. The basis for representing the vectors does not change this. As long as you represent the vectors in terms of perpendicular components, or if you know the angle between them, the cross product can be determined.