1.

5 Scalar Triple Product

Any three vectors may be multiplied as ( ) C B A to form a scalar quantity known as a
scalar triple product.

Writing the vectors in terms of Cartesian coordinates and using equation (28) we have

( ) ( )
z y x
z y x z y x
C C C
B B B
k j i
A k A j A i


+ + = C B A

( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) { }
x y y x z x x z y z z y z y x
C B C B k C B C B j C B C B i A k A j A i + + + + =



( ) ( ) ( )
x y y x z z x x z y y z z y x
C B C B A C B C B A C B C B A + + =
(29)

Writing equation (29) in terms of the third order determinant we have
( )
z y x
z y x
z y x
C C C
B B B
A A A
= C B A (30)

Using the following property of determinants

z y x
z y x
z y x
z y x
z y x
z y x
z y x
z y x
z y x
B B B
A A A
C C C
A A A
C C C
B B B
C C C
B B B
A A A
= =

we see that

( ) ( ) ( ) B A C A C B C B A = = (31)





1.6 Vector Triple Product

Three vectors may also be multiplied as ( ) C B A or ( ) C B A , to form a vector known as a
vector triple product.


To evaluate ( ) C B A we write

( ) C B F = (32)

Then
z y x
z y x z y x
C C C
B B B
k j i
F k F j F i


= + +

y x
y x
x z
x z
z y
z y
C C
B B
k
C C
B B
j
C C
B B
i

+ + = (33)

Consequently

( )
z y x
z y x
F F F
A A A
k j i

= = F A C B A


y x
y x
x z
x z
z y
z y
z y x
C C
B B
C C
B B
C C
B B
A A A
k j i

= (34)

Expanding equation (34) we have

( ) ( ) ( ) { }
z x x z z x y y x y
C B C B A C B C B A i =

C B A

( ) ( ) { }
x y y x x y z z y z
C B C B A C B C B A j +



( ) ( ) { }
y z z y y z x x z x
C B C B A C B C B A k +

(35)

Rearranging equation (35) we have

( ) ( ) ( ) { }
z z y y x z z y y x
B A B A C C A C A B i + + =

C B A

( ) ( ) { }
z z x x y z z x x y
B A B A C C A C A B j + + +



( ) ( ) { }
y y x x z y y x x z
B A B A C C A C A B k + + +

(36)

Further we may write equation (36) as


( ) ( ) ( ) { }
z z y y x x x z z y y x x x
B A B A B A C C A C A C A B i + + + + =

C B A


( ) ( ) { }
z z y y x x y z z y y x x y
B A B A B A C C A C A C A B j + + + + +



( ) ( ) { }
z z y y x x z z z y y x x z
B A B A B A C C A C A C A B k + + + + +

(37)

Writing equation (37) compactly we have

( ) ( ) ( ) B A C C A B C B A = (38)

Equation (38) is known as the Back cab rule.

Similarly it can be shown that

( ) ( ) ( ) B C A A C B C B A = (39)
Consequently

( ) ( ) C B A C B A = (40)