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JEE Main 2026 Preparation: Question Papers, Solutions, Mock Tests & Strategy Unacademy » JEE Study Material » Mathematics » Multiplication of Vectors with Scalar

Multiplication of Vectors with Scalar

In the presence of a scalar quantity, the magnitude of a vector varies in proportion to the magnitude of the scalar, but the direction of the vector does not change at all.

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Vector multiplication with a scalar quantity

In the presence of a scalar quantity, the magnitude of a vector varies in proportion to the magnitude of the scalar, but the direction of the vector does not change at all.

Vectors and Scalars are multiplied

Contrary to their representation of various sorts of physical attributes, vectors and scalars frequently interact with one another in order to be useful. Putting two scalar and two vector quantities together is nearly impossible due to the disparity in dimensions between the two types of quantities. When it comes to vector quantities, they can be multiplied by scalar quantities, but not vice versa. However, it is not possible to produce the opposite consequence at the same moment. Therefore, no matter how hard you try, a scalar can never be multiplied by a vector.

Arithmetic multiplication is used to combine the quantities that are similar to one another when vectors and scalars are multiplied together. In other words, the magnitude of vectors is multiplied by the magnitude of scalar quantities to obtain the final result. The multiplication operation of adding vectors to scalars produces a vector as the outcome of the addition operation. Unlike the original vector, the product vector has a direction that is the same as the vector that is multiplied with the scalar, and its magnitude is increased by the number of times the product of the magnitudes of the vector and scalar that are multiplied by each other.

Illustration

Consider the following scenario: we have a vector a

This vector is multiplied by a scalar quantity k, and the result is another vector with magnitude equal to ka and the vector’s direction remains the same as before.

For the time being, let us visually illustrate the scalar multiplication of the vector.

Assume that the values of ‘k’ are = 2,3,-3,-½ and so on.

We can observe from the collection of vectors presented above that the direction of each vector is a

When the value of the scalar is positive, the direction of the arrow remains unchanged; when the value of the scalar is negative, the direction of the arrow becomes exactly opposite; and in both circumstances, the magnitude of the arrow changes based on the values of the scalar multiple.

In light of the foregoing discussions, we may observe that

ka= |k|a

Let us suppose that the value of the scalar multiple k is -1, and we know that the resultant vector is from scalar multiplication that it is a

after that

a+(-a) = 0 is. The vector -a

This symbol symbolises the negative or additive inverse of a vector.

Consider the following scenario: the value of k =1/|a|

considering the fact that the value of a not equal to zero

In this case, we have the property of a scalar multiple of vectors.

ka is equal to |k|a

=1/| a|xa

Also, as previously discussed, if k = 0, the vector is reduced to zero as well.

Consider the following illustration to better understand what I’m trying to say:

As an illustration, a vector is represented as follows in the orthogonal system:

a = 3i + j + k

What would be the resultant vector if this were to happen?

is the answer multiplied by 5?

Due to the fact that the vector is to be multiplied by the scalar, the resulting product is

5a = 5(3i + j + k)

Or, 5a = 15i + 5j + 5k

Vector Multiplication

Vector multiplication is a mathematical term that refers to one of numerous strategies for multiplying two (or more) vectors with itself. It could be related to any of the following articles:

  • “Scalar product,” sometimes known as the “dot product,” is a binary operation that accepts two vectors and produces another vector with a single scalar quantity. If two vectors are multiplied together, the product of their magnitudes and the cosine of the angle between the two vectors can be defined as the dot product. As an alternative definition, it is defined as the product of the first vector’s projection onto the second vector and the magnitude of the second vector. As a result, A ⋅ B = |A| |B| cos θ

  • “Vector product” is a binary operation on two vectors that produces another vector. It is also known as “cross product” or “vector product.” Specifically, the cross product of two vectors in three- dimensional space is defined as the vector perpendicular to the plane determined by the two vectors whose magnitude is the product of their magnitudes, as well as a sinusoidal function derived from the angle between the two vectors. As a result, if n is the unit vector perpendicular to the plane defined by vectors A and B,A × B = |A| |B| sin θ n̂.

Conclusion

A physical quantity is one that can be physically measured with a scientific apparatus. Hunger, love, melancholy, wrath, and other non-physical quantities, on the other hand, cannot be classified as physical quantities because they cannot be measured mechanically. A scalar quantity is a physical quantity with only one magnitude. A scalar quantity is unaffected by direction. A vector quantity is a physical quantity that has both magnitude and direction. Vectors are represented by straight lines with an arrow head at one of the end points indicating the vector’s direction, whereas scalars are represented by straight lines with an arrow head at one of the end points indicating the vector’s direction.

faq

Frequently asked questions

Get answers to the most common queries related to the JEE Examination Preparation.

What is scalar multiplication of vectors and how does it work?

Ans. The multiplication of a vector by a scalar (where the product is another vector) is known as scalar multiplicat...Read full

What is the best way to multiply vectors?

Ans. In the case of vector multiplication by scalar multiplication, the result vector’s direction is the same ...Read full

Is the dot product the same as the multiplication of numbers?

Ans. Taking the dot product of two or more vectors is one method of multiplying them. The scalar quantity produced b...Read full

What happens when a vector is multiplied by a constant?

Ans. It doesn’t change the direction of the vector when multiplying it by a scalar; instead,  multiplying a v...Read full

Is matrix multiplication a dot product or a cross product?

Ans. Dot-products and cross-products are products formed by combining two similar items, for example, a vector and a...Read full

Ans. The multiplication of a vector by a scalar (where the product is another vector) is known as scalar multiplication, and it should not be confused with the inner product of two vectors (which can also be confused with a vector) (where the product is a scalar).

 

Ans. In the case of vector multiplication by scalar multiplication, the result vector’s direction is the same as the factor vector’s direction. The only difference is that the length is multiplied by the scalar instead of the other way around. Consequently, to obtain a vector that is twice the length of a, but which is pointing in the same direction as a, multiply by 2.

 

Ans. Taking the dot product of two or more vectors is one method of multiplying them. The scalar quantity produced by the dot product of two vectors is called the resultant. As a result, the dot product is also referred to as a scalar product. Algebraically, it is the sum of the products of the corresponding entries of two sequences of numbers, and numerically, it is the sum of the products of the corresponding entries of two sequences of numbers.

 

 

 

Ans. It doesn’t change the direction of the vector when multiplying it by a scalar; instead,  multiplying a vector by the scalar  multiplies the magnitude of the vector by the magnitude of the scalar. In the end, a new vector arrow is created that points in the same direction as the previous one but has a longer or shorter length than the old one.

Ans. Dot-products and cross-products are products formed by combining two similar items, for example, a vector and another vector, into a new vector. Matrix-vector products are made up of two completely different things: the matrix and the vectors. The result is that neither dot product nor cross product are appropriate terms to describe a matrix-vector product.

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