Noun
unit vector (plural unit vectors)
(linear algebra, mathematical analysis) A vector with the length of 1, defined as
u
^
=
u
‖
u
‖
{\displaystyle \mathbf {\hat {u}} ={\frac {\mathbf {u} }{\|\mathbf {u} \|}}}
.
Acceleration vector seeAlso From the heliocentric point of view consider the vector to the planet where is the distance to the planet and is a unit vector pointing towards the planet. Source: Internet
I is defined picking the unit vector that maximizes the flow around the point, because the true flow is maximized across the disk that is perpendicular to it. Source: Internet
Here, the imaginary unit is the (four-dimensional) volume element, and is the unit vector in time direction. Source: Internet
More precisely, when H is differentiable, the dot product of the gradient of H with a given unit vector is equal to the directional derivative of H in the direction of that unit vector. Source: Internet
Also length of a unit vector (of dimension length, not length/force, etc.) has no coordinate-system-invariant significance. Source: Internet
Often this is done to turn the problem into the computation of a directional derivative in the direction of a unit vector. Source: Internet