Vector tangent to a curve or surface at a given point
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 Rn. More generally, tangent vectors are elements of a tangent space of a differentiable manifold. Tangent vectors can also be described in terms of germs. Formally, a tangent vector at the point is a linear derivation of the algebra defined by the set of germs at .
Motivation
Before proceeding to a general definition of the tangent vector, we discuss its use in calculus and its tensor properties.
Calculus
Let be a parametric smooth curve. The tangent vector is given by provided it exists and provided , where we have used a prime instead of the usual dot to indicate differentiation with respect to parameter t.[1] The unit tangent vector is given by
Example
Given the curve
in , the unit tangent vector at is given by
Contravariance
If is given parametrically in the n-dimensional coordinate system xi (here we have used superscripts as an index instead of the usual subscript) by or
then the tangent vector field is given by
Under a change of coordinates
the tangent vector in the ui-coordinate system is given by
where we have used the Einstein summation convention. Therefore, a tangent vector of a smooth curve will transform as a contravariant tensor of order one under a change of coordinates.[2]