In physics, many properties that describe an object, such as velocity, force, or acceleration, are called vector quantities. A vector quantity is defined not just by a magnitude, but also by a direction.
Angular velocity, specifically, is a vector quantity. This means it describes not just how fast something is turning, but also the direction in which itβs turning.
- Magnitude: tells us how fast the object is rotating.
- Direction: indicates along which axis the rotation occurs, which we find using the right-hand rule.
Understanding angular velocity as a vector quantity is crucial because it can point in different directions depending on the viewpoint. Different observers may see various vector orientations depending on their perspective relative to the rotating object.