Tangent
Definition
In physics, tangent refers to a line that touches but does not cross or intersect with another curve at one specific point.
Analogy
Imagine driving along a curvy road. The tangent would be like your car's tires touching only one specific spot on each curve without crossing over into other lanes.
Related terms
Slope: Slope represents how steep or gradual a line or curve is at a particular point, and it can be calculated using tangent.
Derivative: In calculus, the derivative of a function represents its rate of change at any given point, often calculated using tangent lines.
Instantaneous Velocity: Instantaneous velocity is the velocity of an object at a specific instant in time, which can be determined by finding the slope (tangent) of its position-time graph.
"Tangent" appears in:
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