Show that →a.(→b×→c) is equal in magnitude to the volume of the parallelepiped formed on the three vectors, →a, →b and →c.
A parallelepiped with origin O and sides a, b, and c is shown in the following figure.
Volume of the given parallelepiped = abc
¯OC=→a¯OB=→b¯OC=→c
Let ^n be a unit vector perpendicular to both b and c. Hence, ^n and →a have the same direction.
∴ →b×→c=bc sinθ^n=bc sin90∘^n=bc^n→a.(→b×→c)=→a.(bc^n)=abc cosθ^n=abc cos 0∘=abc
= Volume of the parallelepiped