Vector fields
Definition
Vector fields are mathematical functions that assign vectors to every point in space. They represent quantities such as velocity, electric field, or gravitational field that have both magnitude and direction.
Analogy
Imagine vector fields as invisible wind patterns across different regions. Just like how wind has both speed and direction at any given point, vector fields assign arrows with magnitude and direction to represent various physical quantities at different locations.
Related terms
Gradient: The gradient represents how rapidly a scalar quantity changes in space.
Flux: Flux measures how much of something (like fluid flow or electric field) passes through a surface.
Curl: Curl describes how much rotation or circulation exists within a vector field.
"Vector fields" appears in:
Additional resources (1)
Are you a college student?
Study guides for the entire semester
200k practice questions
Glossary of 50k key terms - memorize important vocab
Resources
© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.
AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.