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In mathematics and physics, a vector space (also called a linear space) is a set whose elements, often called vectors, can be added together and multiplied ("scaled") by numbers called scalars. The operations of vector addition and scalar multiplication must satisfy certain requirements, called vector axioms .
Vectors are defined in spherical coordinates by (r, θ, φ), where r is the length of the vector, θ is the angle between the positive Z-axis and the vector in question (0 ≤ θ ≤ π), and; φ is the angle between the projection of the vector onto the xy-plane and the positive X-axis (0 ≤ φ < 2π).
In physics, a vector is additionally distinguished by how its coordinates change when one measures the same vector with respect to a different background coordinate system. The transformation properties of vectors distinguish a vector as a geometrically distinct entity from a simple list of scalars, or from a covector .
In the natural sciences, a vector quantity (also known as a vector physical quantity, physical vector, or simply vector) is a vector-valued physical quantity. [1] [2] It is typically formulated as the product of a unit of measurement and a vector numerical value (), often a Euclidean vector with magnitude and direction.
In this article, vectors are represented in boldface to distinguish them from scalars. [nb 1] [1] A vector space over a field F is a non-empty set V together with a binary operation and a binary function that satisfy the eight axioms listed below. In this context, the elements of V are commonly called vectors, and the elements of F are called ...
In mathematics and physics, the right-hand rule is a convention and a mnemonic, utilized to define the orientation of axes in three-dimensional space and to determine the direction of the cross product of two vectors, as well as to establish the direction of the force on a current-carrying conductor in a magnetic field.
In physics, a force is considered a vector quantity. This means that it not only has a size (or magnitude) but also a direction in which it acts. We typically represent force with the symbol F in boldface, or sometimes, we place an arrow over the symbol to indicate its vector nature, like this: .
If V is a vector space over a field K, a subset W of V is a linear subspace of V if it is a vector space over K for the operations of V.Equivalently, a linear subspace of V is a nonempty subset W such that, whenever w 1, w 2 are elements of W and α, β are elements of K, it follows that αw 1 + βw 2 is in W.