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Euclidean vectorThis article is about the vectors mainly used in physics and
engineering to represent directed quantities. For mathematical vectors in general,
see Vector (mathematics and physics). For other uses, see Vector (disambiguation).
In mathematics, physics, and engineering, a Euclidean vector (sometimes called
a geometric[1] or spatial vector,[2] oras heresimply a vector) is a geometric object that
has magnitude (or length) and direction. Vectors can be added to other vectors according
to vector algebra. A Euclidean vector is frequently represented by a line segment with a
definite direction, or graphically as an arrow, connecting an initial point A with a terminal
point B,[3] and denoted by AB
Euclidean vector, a quantity defined by both its magnitude and its direction
Order of magnitude, the class of scale having a fixed value ratio to the preceding
class
Force In physics, a force is any interaction that, when unopposed, will change the motion of
an object.[1] In other words, a force can cause an object with mass to change its velocity (which
includes to begin moving from a state of rest), i.e., to accelerate. Force can also be described
intuitively as a push or a pull. A force has both magnitude and direction, making it
a vector quantity. It is measured in the SI unit of newtons and represented by the symbol F.
Acceleration, in physics, is the rate of change of velocity of an object with respect to time.
An object's acceleration is the net result of any and all forces acting on the object, as
described by Newton's Second Law.[1] The SI unit for acceleration is metre per second
squared (m s2). Accelerations are vector quantities (they have magnitude and direction)
and add according to the parallelogram law.[2][3] As a vector, the calculated net force is equal
to the product of the object's mass (a scalar quantity) and its acceleration.
Distance is a numerical description of how far apart objects are. In physics or everyday
usage, distance may refer to a physical length, or an estimation based on other criteria (e.g.
"two counties over"). In most cases, "distance from A to B" is interchangeable with "distance
from B to A". In mathematics, a distance function or metric is a generalization of the concept
of physical distance. A metric is a function that behaves according to a specific set of rules,
and is a way of describing what it means for elements of some space to be "close to" or "far
away from" each other.
In common usage, the mass of an object is often referred to as its weight, though these are
in fact different concepts and quantities. In scientific contexts, mass refers loosely to the
amount of "matter" in an object (though "matter" may be difficult to define), whereas weight
refers to the force exerted on an object by gravity.[1] In other words, an object with a mass of
1.0 kilogram will weigh approximately 9.81 newtons on the surface of the Earth (its mass
multiplied by the gravitational field strength).
(The newton is a unit of force, while the kilogram is a unit of mass.)
Its weight will be less on Mars (where gravity is weaker), more on Saturn, and negligible in
space when far from any significant source of gravity, but it will always have the same
mass.