1

Formulae involving
Vector Identities with Proofs: Nabla Formulae for Vector Analysis

Kok-Wah LEE @ 08 May 2009 (Version 1.0)
No. 4, Jalan Bukit Beruang 5, Taman Bukit Beruang, 75450 Bukit Beruang, Melaka, Malaysia.
Email: contact@xpreeli.com; E96LKW@hotmail.com
Tel.: +6013-6134998; +606-2312594; +605-4664998
www.xpreeli.com

All rights reserved.

Vector: A = A
1
i + A
2
j + A
3
k B = B
1
i + B
2
j + B
3
k C = C
1
i + C
2
j + C
3
k
Scalar: = (x,y,z) = (x,y,z)
Nabla:
z
k
y
j
x
i

=

(1) (A x B).C (B x C).A (C x A).B

(2) A x (B x C) (A.C)B - (A.B)C

(3) Prove ( + ) = +
( )
( ) ( ) ( )
k
z
j
y
i
x
k
z
j
y
i
x
+
+

+
+

+
= +
|
|

\
|

= k
z
k
z
j
y
j
y
i
x
i
x

=
|
|

\
|

+
|
|

\
|

k
z
j
y
i
x
k
z
j
y
i
x


=
|
|

\
|

+
|
|

\
|

k
z
j
y
i
x
k
z
j
y
i
x

( + ) = +


(4) Prove ( ) = +
( )
( ) ( ) ( )
k
z
j
y
i
x
k
z
j
y
i
x

=
|
|

\
|

2
= k
x
k
x
j
x
j
x
i
x
i
x

=
|
|

\
|

+
|
|

\
|

k
z
j
y
i
x
k
z
j
y
i
x

=
|
|

\
|

+
|
|

\
|

k
z
j
y
i
x
k
z
j
y
i
x

( ) = +


(5) Prove .(A + B) = .A + .B
( ) ( ) ( ) [ ] k B A j B A i B A k
z
j
y
i
x
B A
3 3 2 2 1 1
) .( + + + + +
|
|

\
|

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

+
+

+
+

+
3 3 2 2 1 1
= LHS
( ) ( ) k B j B i B k
z
j
y
i
x
k A j A i A k
z
j
y
i
x
B A
3 2 1 3 2 1
. . + +
|
|

\
|

+ + +
|
|

\
|

= +
=
z
B
y
B
x
B
z
A
y
A
x
A

3 2 1 3 2 1

=
( ) ( ) ( )
z
B A
y
B A
x
B A

+
+

+
+

+
3 3 2 2 1 1
= RHS
LHS = RHS
.(A + B) = .A + .B


(6) Prove x(A + B) = xA + xB
( ) ( ) ( ) [ ] k B A j B A i B A x k
z
j
y
i
x
B A x
3 3 2 2 1 1
) ( + + + + +
|
|

\
|

= +

=
3 3 2 2 1 1
B A B A B A
z y x
k j i
+ + +

=
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
k
y
B A
x
B A
j
z
B A
x
B A
i
z
B A
y
B A
|
|

\
|

+
+ |

\
|

|
|

\
|

+
1 1 2 2 1 1 3 3 2 2 3 3
3
=
(

|
|

\
|

+ |

\
|

|
|

\
|

+
(

|
|

\
|

+ |

\
|

|
|

\
|

k
y
B
x
B
j
z
B
x
B
i
z
B
y
B
k
y
A
x
A
j
z
A
x
A
i
z
A
y
A
1 2 1 3 2 3 1 2 1 3 2 3
=
3 2 1
A A A
z y x
k j i

+
3 2 1
B B B
z y x
k j i

x(A + B) = xA + xB


(7) Prove .(A) = ().A + (.A)

( ) k A j A i A k
z
j
y
i
x
A
3 2 1
. ) .( + +
|
|

\
|

=

=
( ) ( ) ( )
z
A
y
A
x
A

3 2 1

= LHS
( ) ( ) ( )
(

+ +
|
|

\
|

+ + +
|
|

\
|

= + k A j A i A k
z
j
y
i
x
k A j A i A k
z
j
y
i
x
A A
3 2 1 3 2 1
. . . ). (



=
|
|

\
|

+
|
|

\
|

z
A
y
A
x
A
z
A
y
A
x
A
3 2 1
3 2 1



=
|

\
|

+
|
|

\
|

+ |

\
|

z
A
z
A
y
A
y
A
x
A
x
A
3
3
2
2
1
1

=
( ) ( ) ( )
z
A
y
A
x
A

3 2 1

= RHS
LHS = RHS
.(A) = ().A + (.A)


(8) Prove x(A) = ()xA + (xA)
( )
3 2 1
A A A
z y x
k j i
A x

=

=
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
k
y
A
x
A
j
z
A
x
A
i
z
A
y
A
|
|

\
|

+ |

\
|

|
|

\
|

1 2 1 3 2 3


=
k
y
A
y
A
x
A
x
A
j
z
A
z
A
x
A
x
A
i
y
A
y
A
y
A
y
A
|
|

\
|

+ |

\
|

|
|

\
|

1
1
2
2
1
1
3
3
2
2
3
3
=
(

|
|

\
|

+ |

\
|

|
|

\
|

k
y
A
x
A j
z
A
x
A i
y
A
y
A

1 2 1 3 2 3

4
(
(

|
|

\
|

+
|
|

\
|

|
|

\
|

+ k
y
A
x
A
j
z
A
x
A
i
y
A
y
A
1 2 1 3 2 3


=
3 2 1
A A A
z y x
k j i

+
3 2 1
A A A
z y x
k j i

x(A) = ()xA + (xA)


(9) Prove .(AxB) = B.(xA) - A.(xB)

3 2 1
3 2 1
. ) .(
B B B
A A A
k j i
k
z
j
y
i
x
AxB
|
|

\
|

=

=
( ) ( ) ( ) [ ] k B A B A j B A B A i B A B A k
z
j
y
i
x
1 2 2 1 1 3 3 1 2 3 3 2
. +
|
|

\
|

=
( ) ( ) ( )
z
B A B A
y
B A B A
x
B A B A

1 2 2 1 1 3 3 1 2 3 3 2

( )
(

|
|

\
|

+ |

\
|

|
|

\
|

+ + = k
y
A
x
A
j
z
A
x
A
i
z
A
y
A
k B j B i B xA B
1 2 1 3 2 3
3 2 1
. ) .(

=
|
|

\
|

+ |

\
|

|
|

\
|

y
A
x
A
B
z
A
x
A
B
z
A
y
A
B
1 2
3
1 3
2
2 3
1

Similarly, by interchanging the variable of A and B, we have
( )
(

|
|

\
|

+ |

\
|

|
|

\
|

+ + = k
y
B
x
B
j
z
B
x
B
i
z
B
y
B
k A j A i A xB A
1 2 1 3 2 3
3 2 1
. ) .(

=
|
|

\
|

+ |

\
|

|
|

\
|

y
B
x
B
A
z
B
x
B
A
z
B
y
B
A
1 2
3
1 3
2
2 3
1

B.(xA) - A.(xB) =
|

\
|

\
|

|
|

\
|

x
B
A
x
A
B
z
B
A
z
A
B
y
B
A
y
A
B
2
3
3
2
1
2
2
1
1
3
3
1


|
|

\
|

\
|

+ |

\
|

+
y
B
A
y
A
B
x
B
A
x
A
B
z
B
A
z
A
B
3
1
1
3
3
2
2
3
2
1
1
2

=
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
y
B A
x
B A
z
B A
x
B A
z
B A
y
B A

3 1 3 2 2 1 2 3 1 2 1 3

=
( ) ( ) ( )
z
B A B A
y
B A B A
x
B A B A

1 2 2 1 1 3 3 1 2 3 3 2

.(AxB) = B.(xA) - A.(xB)

5

(10) Prove x(AxB) = (B.)A - B(.A) - (A.)B + A(.B)
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) [ ] k B A B A j B A B A i B A B A x
B B B
A A A
k j i
x AxB x
1 2 2 1 1 3 3 1 2 3 3 2
3 2 1
3 2 1
+ = =

=
1 2 2 1 3 1 1 3 2 3 3 2
B A B A B A B A B A B A
z y x
k j i

=
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
k
y
B A B A
x
B A B A
j
z
B A B A
x
B A B A
i
z
B A B A
y
B A B A
|
|

\
|

+ |

\
|

|
|

\
|

2 3 3 2 3 1 1 3 2 3 3 2 1 2 2 1 3 1 1 3 1 2 2 1
= LHS

(B.)A - B(.A) =
( ) ( ) k B j B i B
z
A
y
A
x
A
k A j A i A
z
B
y
B
x
B
3 2 1
3 2 1
3 2 1 3 2 1
+ +
|
|

\
|

+ +
|
|

\
|

=
k
y
A
B
x
A
B
y
A
B
x
A
B j
z
A
B
x
A
B
z
A
B
x
A
B i
z
A
B
y
A
B
z
A
B
y
A
B
|
|

\
|

+ |

\
|

+
|
|

\
|

2
3
1
3
3
2
3
1
3
2
1
2
2
3
2
1
3
1
2
1
1
3
1
2


Similarly, by interchanging the variable of A and B, we have
(A.)B - A(.B) =
( ) ( ) k A j A i A
z
B
y
B
x
B
k B j B i B
z
A
y
A
x
A
3 2 1
3 2 1
3 2 1 3 2 1
+ +
|
|

\
|

+ +
|
|

\
|

=
k
y
B
A
x
B
A
y
B
A
x
B
A j
z
B
A
x
B
A
z
B
A
x
B
A i
z
B
A
y
B
A
z
B
A
y
B
A
|
|

\
|

+ |

\
|

+
|
|

\
|

2
3
1
3
3
2
3
1
3
2
1
2
2
3
2
1
3
1
2
1
1
3
1
2

(B.)A - B(.A) - (A.)B + A(.B)
=
i
z
B
A
z
A
B
y
B
A
y
A
B
z
B
A
z
A
B
y
B
A
y
A
B
(

\
|

|
|

\
|

\
|

+
|
|

\
|

1
3
3
1
1
2
2
1
3
1
1
3
2
1
1
2


j
z
B
A
z
A
B
x
B
A
x
A
B
z
B
A
z
A
B
x
B
A
x
A
B
(

\
|

\
|

\
|

+ |

\
|

+
2
3
3
2
2
1
1
2
3
2
2
3
2
1
2
1


k
y
B
A
y
A
B
x
B
A
x
A
B
y
B
A
y
A
B
x
B
A
x
A
B
(

|
|

\
|

\
|

|
|

\
|

+ |

\
|

+
3
2
2
3
3
1
1
3
2
3
3
2
1
3
3
1

=
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
k
y
B A B A
x
B A B A
j
z
B A B A
x
B A B A
i
z
B A B A
y
B A B A
|
|

\
|

+ |

\
|

|
|

\
|

3 2 2 3 3 1 1 3 3 2 2 3 1 2 2 1 1 3 3 1 1 2 2 1
=
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
k
y
B A B A
x
B A B A
j
z
B A B A
x
B A B A
i
z
B A B A
y
B A B A
|
|

\
|

+ |

\
|

|
|

\
|

2 3 3 2 3 1 1 3 2 3 3 2 1 2 2 1 3 1 1 3 1 2 2 1
= RHS

RHS = LHS
6
x(AxB) = (B.)A - B(.A) - (A.)B + A(.B)


(11) Prove (A.B) = (B.)A + (A.)B + Bx(xA) + Ax(xB)
(A.B) =
( )
3 3 2 2 1 1
B A B A B A k
z
j
y
i
x
+ +
|
|

\
|

= LHS
(B.)A =
( ) k A j A i A
z
B
y
B
x
B
3 2 1 3 2 1
+ +
|
|

\
|

( )
(

|
|

\
|

+ |

\
|

|
|

\
|

+ + = k
y
A
x
A
j
z
A
x
A
i
z
A
y
A
x k B j B i B xA Bx
1 2 1 3 2 3
3 2 1
) (

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

1 2 3 1 2 3
3 2 1

=
k B
z
A
y
A
B
x
A
z
A
j B
z
A
y
A
B
y
A
x
A
i B
x
A
z
A
B
y
A
x
A
(

|
|

\
|

\
|

+
(

|
|

\
|

|
|

\
|

\
|

|
|

\
|

2
2 3
1
3 1
3
2 3
1
1 2
3
3 1
2
1 2

Similarly, by interchanging the variable of A and B, we have
(A.)B =
( ) k B j B i B
z
A
y
A
x
A
3 2 1 3 2 1
+ +
|
|

\
|

( )
(

|
|

\
|

+ |

\
|

|
|

\
|

+ + = k
y
B
x
B
j
z
B
x
B
i
z
B
y
B
x k A j A i A xB Ax
1 2 1 3 2 3
3 2 1
) (

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

1 2 3 1 2 3
3 2 1

=
k A
z
B
y
B
A
x
B
z
B
j A
z
B
y
B
A
y
B
x
B
i A
x
B
z
B
A
y
B
x
B
(

|
|

\
|

\
|

+
(

|
|

\
|

|
|

\
|

\
|

|
|

\
|

2
2 3
1
3 1
3
2 3
1
1 2
3
3 1
2
1 2

Hence
(B.)A + Bx(xA)
=
k
z
A
B
z
A
B
z
A
B j
y
A
B
y
A
B
y
A
B i
x
A
B
x
A
B
x
A
B |

\
|

+
|
|

\
|

+ |

\
|

2
2
1
1
3
3
3
3
1
1
2
2
3
3
2
2
1
1

(A.)B + Ax(xB)
=
k
z
B
A
z
B
A
z
B
A j
y
B
A
y
B
A
y
B
A i
x
B
A
x
B
A
x
B
A |

\
|

+
|
|

\
|

+ |

\
|

2
2
1
1
3
3
3
3
1
1
2
2
3
3
2
2
1
1

7

(B.)A + (A.)B + Bx(xA) + Ax(xB)
=
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
k
z
B A
z
B A
z
B A
j
y
B A
y
B A
y
B A
i
x
B A
x
B A
x
B A
|

\
|

+
|
|

\
|

+ |

\
|

2 2 1 1 3 3 3 3 1 1 2 2 3 3 2 2 1 1

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

+ +
+

+ +
+

+ +
3 3 2 2 1 1 3 3 2 2 1 1 3 3 2 2 1 1

=
( )
3 3 2 2 1 1
B A B A B A k
z
j
y
i
x
+ +
|
|

\
|

= RHS
LHS = RHS

(A.B) = (B.)A + (A.)B + Bx(xA) + Ax(xB)


(12) Prove .() =
2

.() =
|
|

\
|

|
|

\
|

z
k
y
j
x
i
z
k
y
j
x
i

.

=

2
2
2
2
2
2
2
=

z y x

.() =
2



(13) Prove x() = 0
x() =
|
|

\
|

|
|

\
|

z
k
y
j
x
i x
z
k
y
j
x
i


=
z y x
z y x
k j i

= ( ) ( ) ( )k j i
xy yx xz zx yz zy
+
Since has continuous second order partial derivatives, we have

xy
=
yx

yz
=
zy

zx
=
xz

x() = 0

8

(14) Prove .(xA) = 0
.(xA) =
(

|
|

\
|

+ |

\
|

|
|

\
|

|
|

\
|

k
y
A
x
A
j
z
A
x
A
i
z
A
y
A
z
k
y
j
x
i
1 2 1 3 2 3
.

=
|
|

\
|

+
|
|

\
|

|
|

\
|

z y
A
z x
A
y z
A
y x
A
x z
A
x y
A
1
2
2
2
1
2
3
2
2
2
3
2

= 0
.(xA) = 0


(15) Prove x(xA) = (.A) -
2
A
x(xA) =
(

|
|

\
|

+ |

\
|

|
|

\
|

|
|

\
|

k
y
A
x
A
j
z
A
x
A
i
z
A
y
A
x
z
k
y
j
x
i
1 2 1 3 2 3
=
y
A
x
A
x
A
z
A
z
A
y
A
z y x
k j i

1 2 3 1 2 3

=
k
y z
A
y
A
x
A
x z
A
j
z
A
z y
A
x y
A
x
A
i
x z
A
z
A
y
A
y x
A
|
|

\
|

+
|
|

\
|

|
|

\
|

2
2
2
3
2
2
3
2
1
2
2
2
2
3
2
1
2
2
2
2
3
2
2
1
2
2
1
2
2
2

= LHS

(.A) -
2
A
=
( ) k A j A i A
z y x z
A
y
A
x
A
z
k
y
j
x
i
3 2 1 2
2
2
2
2
2
3 2 1
+ +
|
|

\
|

|
|

\
|

|
|

\
|

=
k
y
A
x
A
z y
A
z x
A
j
z
A
x
A
y z
A
y x
A
i
z
A
y
A
x z
A
x y
A
|
|

\
|

+
|
|

\
|

+
|
|

\
|

2
3
2
2
3
2
2
2
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
3
2
1
2
2
1
2
2
1
2
3
2
2
2

= RHS

LHS = RHS
x(xA) = (.A) -
2
A