Thread: vector components

  1. #1
    Set Apart -- jrahhali's Avatar
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    vector components

    are vector components vectors? By physics book says they arn't, and rights them without vector notation, but my physics teacher says they are and rights them with the notation.

    edit:

    i'm pretty sure they are just scalars and my teacher is wrong, but i dont' understand why.
    Last edited by jrahhali; 10-16-2005 at 08:05 PM.
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  2. #2
    Cat Lover
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    Doesn't a vector component still need the direction?

    So if you split your up and across vector into an up vector and an across one, you've still got two vectors.

  3. #3
    & the hat of GPL slaying Thantos's Avatar
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    There are many ways to write vectors. Lets take a simple 2d case that we are fimilar with.
    A vector that makes a 45 degree angle with a magnitude of sqrt(2).

    You could write that as <1,1>, (1,1) or as i + j where the vector i is <1,0> and the vector j is <0,1>.

    So the answer is yes and no. It all depends on how you are using them.

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