A vector has magnitude and direction. Does it have a location in space?

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asked Feb 28, 2018 in Physics by shabnam praween (19,050 points) 5 6 71

A vector has magnitude and direction. Does it have a location in space? Can it vary with time? Will two equal vectors a and b at different locations in space necessarily have identical physical effects? Give examples in support of your answer.

1 Answer

+1 vote
answered Feb 28, 2018 by mdsamim (213,225 points) 5 10 21
selected Feb 28, 2018 by shabnam praween
 
Best answer

No; Yes; No
Generally speaking, a vector has no definite locations in space. This is because a vector remains invariant when displaced in such a way that its magnitude and direction remain the same. However, a position vector has a definite location in space.
A vector can vary with time. For example, the displacement vector of a particle moving with a certain velocity varies with time.
Two equal vectors located at different locations in space need not produce the same physical effect. For example, two equal forces acting on an object at different points can cause the body to rotate, but their combination cannot produce an equal turning effect.

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