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In mathematics, a tangent vector is a vector that is tangent to a curve or surface at a given point. Tangent vectors are described in the differential geometry of curves in the context of curves in R n. More generally, tangent vectors are elements of a tangent space of a differentiable manifold. Tangent vectors can also be described in terms of ...
The tangent, normal, and binormal unit vectors, often called T, N, and B, or collectively the Frenet–Serret frame (TNB frame or TNB basis), together form an orthonormal basis that spans, and are defined as follows: T is the unit vector tangent to the curve, pointing in the direction of motion.
Illustration of tangential and normal components of a vector to a surface. In mathematics, given a vector at a point on a curve, that vector can be decomposed uniquely as a sum of two vectors, one tangent to the curve, called the tangential component of the vector, and another one perpendicular to the curve, called the normal component of the vector.
If t = s is the natural parameter, then the tangent vector has unit length. The formula simplifies: = ′ (). The unit tangent vector determines the orientation of the curve, or the forward direction, corresponding to the increasing values of the parameter.
Developing the equation for , and grouping the terms in and , we obtain ˙ + ˙ = ¨ + ¨ = ˙ + ˙ Denoting =, the first equation means that is orthogonal to the unit tangent vector at : = The second relation means that = where = = ˙ + ˙ [¨ ¨] is the curvature vector.
In vector calculus the derivative of a vector y with respect to a scalar x is known as the tangent vector of the vector y, . Notice here that y : R 1 → R m . Example Simple examples of this include the velocity vector in Euclidean space , which is the tangent vector of the position vector (considered as a function of time).
These equations express that the tangent line, which is parallel to , is perpendicular to the radii, and that the tangent points lie on their respective circles. These are four quadratic equations in two two-dimensional vector variables, and in general position will have four pairs of solutions.
Such a vector field serves to define a generalized ordinary differential equation on a manifold: A solution to such a differential equation is a differentiable curve on the manifold whose derivative at any point is equal to the tangent vector attached to that point by the vector field. All the tangent spaces of a manifold may be "glued together ...