Is There Proof for the Cross Product Matrix Formula?

Join the discussion
Ask a follow-up here, or get your own question answered by working scientists, mathematicians and engineers — people, not an autocomplete.
Real named experts · corrections over time · the nuance an AI answer skips
6 replies · 2K views
prashant singh
Messages
56
Reaction score
2
Is there any proof for the matrixx formula of the cross product. I am asking this because I have seen many videos and they have used the matrixx formula and then proved that ||A X B|| = ||A|||B||sin(theta), khan academy also used the same method
 
Physics news on Phys.org
prashant singh said:
Is there any proof for the matrixx formula of the cross product. I am asking this because I have seen many videos and they have used the matrixx formula and then proved that ||A X B|| = ||A|||B||sin(theta), khan academy also used the same method
What do you mean by "matrixx formula"?
 
See jedishrfu answer
 
jedishrfu said:
Vector cross product is defined as AxB = |A||B|sin(theta) where theta is the angle between A and B.
Sorry, this isn't the definition of the cross product A x B. It's the definition of the magnitude or norm of A x B; i.e., |A x B|.
jedishrfu said:
In the pdf in the link, the author never gives a geometric definition of the cross product. This product could be defined as A x B = (|A||B| sin(θ)) u, where u is a unit vector that is perpendicular to both A and B. The orientation of u can be determined using the right-hand rule (i.e., if you let the fingers of your right hand curl around from A to B, your thumb will point in the direction of u).
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: jedishrfu
My apologies I forgot to mention that the resultant vector is perpendicular to both A and B and follows the right-hand rule for direction as determined via rotation from A to B.

Alas, still learning what I forgot and forgetting what I've I've relearned.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: prashant singh