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Question

Show that a.(b×c) is equal in magnitude to the volume of the parallelepiped formed on the three vectors, a, b and c.

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Solution

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^na.(b×c)=a.(bc^n)=abc cosθ^n=abc cos 0=abc
= Volume of the parallelepiped


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