Math

Unit Vector VS Vector

Naranjito 2024. 9. 26. 13:28
  • Unit Vector

 

A vector that has a magnitude (or length) of exactly 1. It is used to represent a direction without any information about magnitude or length.

 

n^=[n^xn^yn^z]

 

- The components n^xn^yn^z are the direction cosines, which are the projections of the unit vector along the x-axes, y-axes, and z-axes, respectively.

- The magnitude of the unit vector is always 1:
|n^|=n^x2+n^y2+n^z2=1
  • Vector

 

It defined by both a direction and a magnitude. It can have any length, not necessarily 1.

 

u=[uxuyuz]

 

- The components uxuyuz describe the vector's projections along the 𝑥-axes, 𝑦-axes, and 𝑧-axes, respectively.

- It is generally not equal to 1, and it is calculated as:
|u|=ux2+uy2+uz2

Example:

 

- Suppose you have a vector v=[2,3,6].

- The magnitude of this vector is:
|v|=22+32+62=4+9+36=49=7

- The unit vector in the same direction as can be found by dividing each component of by its magnitude:
v^=v|v|=17[2,3,6]=27,37,67