37239 Lecture Notes - Unit Vector
Document Summary
Vectors are mathematical objects that represent quantities that have both magnitude and direction. They are commonly used in physics, engineering, and mathematics to represent physical quantities such as velocity, force, and acceleration. In this context, it is often necessary to break down a vector into its component parts, which are the projections of the vector onto a set of orthogonal axes. To understand vector components, it is first necessary to understand the concept of a coordinate system. A coordinate system is a set of orthogonal axes that are used to locate points in space. The most common coordinate system is the cartesian coordinate system, which consists of three orthogonal axes: the x-axis, the y-axis, and the z-axis. A vector can be represented in terms of its components relative to a given coordinate system. The components of a vector are the projections of the vector onto each of the coordinate axes.
