- Direction and vectors
- Characteristics of the direction of the vectors
- Equations to find the direction of a vector
- References
The direction in physics is the established line along a body or object when performing a movement are.
The direction is of great importance specifically in the experiments of mechanics, since in it the movement of a body and where it moves (taking into account the temporal variable) are studied.
In the field of physics, direction is part of the elements of motion, since it represents the line on which the moving object or body rests.
The direction of a body can vary from left to right, right to left, top to bottom or vice versa.
If we draw an upward arrow, we say that the direction of the arrow has an angle of 90 ° with respect to the starting point.
Direction and vectors
As mentioned previously, direction is strictly related to motion and can be found in the element known as Displacement Vector.
The direction is part of the vectors and therefore it is necessary to know exactly what they are and how they work.
It is common to confuse the direction of a vector with its sense. Direction is simply the path the vector takes, and direction is where it is going.
A clearer example of this would be:
If a train is on the right rail, that would be its direction.
On the other hand, if the train decides to go forward or backward on that same rail, that would be taken as the direction of the same.
A vector is a quantity in the reference frame that consists of a module and a direction.
The vectors can be directed to the cardinal points such as North, South, East and West (forming a kind of cross), but at the same time it is possible that the direction of a vector is directed Northeast (a diagonal line).
Characteristics of the direction of the vectors
The direction of a vector can also be defined as the path taken by a line or any parallel line contained in a vector. There are 2 basic characteristics regarding the direction of a vector:
-The direction of the vectors are measured from the initial point to the cardinal points and its measure can be expressed through the system of angles.
-The direction of the vectors is calculated by following the anti-clockwise direction from the starting point to the cardinal points. An example of this would be if the vector rotates 30 °. Then it will have moved 30 ° counterclockwise.
Equations to find the direction of a vector
There are many ways to calculate the direction in which a vector is heading. Below are two of the most common used in physical experiments:
, where x is the horizontal change and y is the vertical change.
, where (x 1, y 1) is the initial point and (x 2, y 2) is the terminal point.
In short, the direction is where the object, body or vector is going or located.
References
- Magnitude and Direction of a Vector. Retrieved on November 25, 2017, from Math: www.mathwarehouse.com
- Vector Direction and Bearing. Retrieved on November 25, 2017, from Physics problems with solutions: www.problemsphysics.com
- Vector Direction. Retrieved on November 25, 2017, from Brightstorm: www.brightstorm.com
- Vector. Retrieved on November 25, 2017, from Encyclopædia Britannica: www.britannica.com
- Vectors and Direction. Retrieved on November 25, 2017, from The Physis Classroom: www.physicsclassroom.com