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MIT 8.02 Electricity and Magnetism, Spring 2002 21 Online
OpenStudy (anonymous):

hi why we use sin in vector product why not we use cosine?

OpenStudy (anonymous):

that's the way it is defined...

OpenStudy (anonymous):

the rule is AXB=lAllBlsin(theta) where theta is the angle between the two vectors . this is the definition of cross product it's unlike the dot product the dot product is just like the cross but replace the sine theta with cosine A.B=lAl.lBlcos(theta)

OpenStudy (anonymous):

your question is good but it's not sufficient to answer it in a single comment you need to read books and deeply understand the physical meaning of cross product to understand the issue

OpenStudy (anonymous):

actually when we talk about cosine it is the projection of one vector on the other like in this picture

OpenStudy (anonymous):

|dw:1346219430963:dw| further in vector product it is nothing like projections

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