Siirtymävektori

A siirtymävektori, which translates to displacement vector in English, is a fundamental concept in physics and mathematics. It represents a change in position of an object. Unlike a position vector, which describes an object's location relative to an origin, a displacement vector specifically quantifies the straight-line distance and direction between an object's initial and final points, regardless of the path taken.

To define a siirtymävektori, one needs two points: a starting point and an ending point. The vector is drawn from the starting point to the ending point. In a coordinate system, if the initial position is given by coordinates $(x_1, y_1)$ and the final position by $(x_2, y_2)$, the siirtymävektori can be represented as the difference between the final and initial position vectors. For example, in two dimensions, the siirtymävektori would be $(x_2 - x_1, y_2 - y_1)$. The magnitude of the siirtymävektori is the straight-line distance between the two points, calculated using the Pythagorean theorem, and its direction is indicated by the orientation of the vector. This concept is crucial for understanding motion, velocity, and acceleration in classical mechanics.