Vector Product

• The vector product is another type of vector multiplication whose result is a new vector, denoted as

c = a x b (12)

The magnitude of the vector product is

c = ab sin q (13)

The direction of the vector product is perpendicular to the plane formed by a and b, and it obeys the right hand rule: if you curl your right hand along the small angle from a to b, then your thumb will point to the direction of the cross product.

• If a and b are parallel to each other, then the vector product c = 0. BTW, the vector product is also called the cross product.

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