Vector

A vector is a two-dimensional object that has both a magnitude and a direction associated with it. A vector can be represented geometrically as a directed line segment, with the length of the line segment equal to the magnitude of the vector and an arrow indicating the direction of the vector.

In mathematics, vectors are objects that have both a magnitude and a direction associated with them. The length of the vector is defined by its magnitude. It is represented by a line with an arrow, where the length of the line represents the magnitude of the vector and the direction of the arrow represents the direction of the vector in question. This type of vector is also referred to as a Euclidean vector, a Geometric vector, a Spatial vector, or simply a “vector.”

When the magnitude and direction of two vectors are the same, they are said to be equal. It has an important role in mathematics, physics, and engineering, among other disciplines. According to vector algebra, a vector can be added to another vector from the head to the tail of the other vector. The order in which two vectors are added does not matter because the result will be the same regardless of the order in which they are added.

Vector definition

The vectors are defined as objects that contain both the magnitude and the direction of a force. A vector is a mathematical representation of the movement of an object from one point to another. The directed line segment can be used to represent vector math in a geometrical sense.

The magnitude of a vector is defined as the length of a segment of a directed line, and the direction of a vector is defined as the angle at which the vector is inclined. The starting point of a vector is referred to as the “Tail,” and the ending point (which contains an arrow) is referred to as the “Head.”

A vector is defined as a mathematical structure in the mathematical sense. The field of physics and geometry has numerous applications for this concept. We already know that the coordinates of the points on the coordinate plane can be represented by an ordered pair, such as (x, y). The use of vectors is extremely beneficial in the simplification of three-dimensional geometry, and this is demonstrated in the following example.

We’ve all heard the terms vector and scalar used in conjunction with one another. A scalar is a numerical representation of the “real numbers.” For the uninitiated, a vector of “n” dimensions is an ordered collection of n elements collectively referred to as “components.”

Difference between vector and scalars

Parameters

Scalar 

Vector

Meaning

A scalar quantity has only a magnitude and no direction, unlike a vector quantity.

The magnitude and direction of a vector quantity are both known as vector quantities.

Quantities

Every scalar quantity has a one-dimensional representation.

There are three different types of vector quantities: one, two, and three-dimensional.

Resolution

A scalar quantity cannot be resolved because its value remains constant regardless of the direction in which it is pointed.

A vector quantity can be resolved in any direction by using the sine or cosine of the adjacent angle as the resolving coefficient.

Operation 

Any mathematical operation performed between two or more scalar quantities will result in the production of a scalar quantity only. A vector, on the other hand, will be the result of a scalar being operated on by another vector.

The result of mathematical operations between two or more vectors may be a scalar or a vector depending on the operations performed. The dot product of two vectors produces only a scalar result, whereas the cross product, summation, or subtraction of two vectors produces a vector result.

Expression

Velocity, for example, is denoted by the letter V in a simple alphabet.

A boldface letter, such as V for velocity, or an arrowhead over the letter are used to indicate what they are.

Example

A car is travelling at a rate of 30 kilometres per hour.

In the direction of the East, a car is travelling at a speed of 30 kilometres per hour.

Conclusion

A vector is a two-dimensional object that has both a magnitude and a direction associated with it. A vector can be represented geometrically as a directed line segment, with the length of the line segment equal to the magnitude of the vector and an arrow indicating the direction of the vector. The length of the vector is defined by its magnitude. It is represented by a line with an arrow. This type of vector is also referred to as a Euclidean vector, a Geometric vector, a Spatial vector, or simply a “vector.”

A vector is defined as a mathematical structure in the mathematical sense. The field of physics and geometry has numerous applications for this concept. We’ve all heard the terms vector and scalar used in conjunction with one another. A scalar is a numerical representation of the “real numbers.” The starting point of a vector is referred to as the “Tail,” and the ending point (which contains an arrow) is referred to as the “Head.”

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Frequently asked questions

Get answers to the most common queries related to the JEE Examination Preparation.

What is a vector in mathematics and what are some examples?

Ans. In mathematics, a vector is a quantity that has both magnitude and direction, but does not have a position. Vel...Read full

What are the different types of vectors?

Ans. Vectors are classified into several categories: ...Read full

In what ways do vectors obey the laws of nature?

Ans. The triangle law of vector addition states that when two vectors are represented as two sides of a triangle wit...Read full

What is the directional significance of a vector?

Ans. The orientation of a vector, or the angle it makes with the x-axis, is the direction of the vector. The directi...Read full

Exactly what is the angle formed by the components of a vector?

Ans. According to the definition, the shortest angle between two vectors is the angle at which any of the two vector...Read full