# Zero Vector

#### Nusc

Where does it point?

#### Gale

no where.... or everywhere... depending on how you want to look at it. Also, what's its magnitude? hasn't one of those either... so why is it a vector? because we've defined it that way. just like the zero in numbers, its a special little bugger.

Last edited:

#### TenaliRaman

Hehe, I can put a little trick question here,
When we add two vectors, we know that the tail of one and the head of the other together form the resultant vector.

Lets take the zero vector, if it points nowhere then what is the addition of a non-zero vector and the zero vector pointing to? If it points everywhere, then why is the addition of a non-zero vector and a zero vector points in the direction where the non-zero vector pointed?

MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

-- AI

#### El Hombre Invisible

It doesn't matter which way it points. Choose any direction - when you add the vector it will have the same resultant direction.

#### TenaliRaman

Gale is actually right, the point is whether my question is really tricky?

-- AI

#### dextercioby

Homework Helper
I don't see what's the catch here.The 0 vector is just an ordinary element of the vector space.

Daniel.

#### Galileo

Homework Helper
The zero vector is that (unique) element 0, for which 0+x=x for all vectors x in your vector space. Don't worry about where it points. Since its magnitude is zero, it's direction is meaningless concept (just like the argument for 0 in the complex plane).

#### mathwonk

Homework Helper
the reason this topic seems tricky to beginners, is they forget to ask for the definition of the crucial concept, here "direction", before beginning to run with the ball.

instead they go off guided by misleading but popular phrases, like: "every vector has a magnitude and a direction".

this is the basic difference between learning mathematics and just trotting along in the peanut gallery. of course this may all be a joke, but the phenomenon mentioned here seems very real to me, from my perspective as a (would be) teacher.

#### matt grime

Homework Helper
i hated that phrase that appears in text books beloved of so many calc courses (in the US sense): a vector is something that has magnitude and direction. So crap. how about "a number is something you can add to something else"? That's just as bad but they wouldn't dare use that at all.

Anyway, the idea that vectors even have directionm at all is dubious, though often usseful. not always though. vector quantities in the physics/mechanics usage of the term may be usefully said to have directions, but a vector quantity with no magnitude isn't acting in any direction really.

#### TenaliRaman

A vector can be simply thought of as drawing a line(say in a paint program). The length of the line denotes its magnitude and the direction in which i drag my mouse becomes the direction of that vector. Now try to draw a line with magnitude zero and the direction of it becomes clear

-- AI

#### dextercioby

Homework Helper
A vector is something abstract.It is an element of a set.Therefore i could use any graphical symbol to "picture" it on the paper or in my mind.Even a circle or a sphere.

Daniel.

#### TenaliRaman

An epitaph

I lie here, mourning over the days i lived as a dead man. I could never understand what love was, it was too abstract for me. Leela, if you are reading this, then i would like to tell you, now i know. Now i know that love is you and now i know why you left me. Forgive me if you can. Let my deathbed be a reminder for those, who live a dead life. They should know, they may never get a second chance. -- Amit

Not to be sounding too poetical here, but various abstract things are understood in a completely different way by different individuals. Just pointing out how you understood could help the other person who is struggling with it.

-- AI

#### whozum

TenaliRaman said:
An epitaph

I lie here, mourning over the days i lived as a dead man. I could never understand what love was, it was too abstract for me. Leela, if you are reading this, then i would like to tell you, now i know. Now i know that love is you and now i know why you left me. Forgive me if you can. Let my deathbed be a reminder for those, who live a dead life. They should know, they may never get a second chance. -- Amit

Not to be sounding too poetical here, but various abstract things are understood in a completely different way by different individuals. Just pointing out how you understood could help the other person who is struggling with it.

-- AI
So the zero vector points towards love?

#### TenaliRaman

whozum said:
So the zero vector points towards love?
Yes, us males always carry these "zero vectors" inside us and give them to every good looking dame that passes by. Since it is of zero magnitude, there are abundant of it with us that we distribute. Its just them females, who keep attaching some magnitude to it, oh dear! :surprised

-- AI

#### Gale

WOW... how bout you boys stick to math eh.

#### whozum

TenaliRaman said:
Yes, us males always carry these "zero vectors" inside us and give them to every good looking dame that passes by. Since it is of zero magnitude, there are abundant of it with us that we distribute. Its just them females, who keep attaching some magnitude to it, oh dear! :surprised

-- AI
My love vector has a magnitude though :rofl:

### Physics Forums Values

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• Topics based on mainstream science
• Proper English grammar and spelling
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• Solo and co-op problem solving
The content structure of the text passage is a series of forum posts discussing the concept of a zero vector, its direction, and its role in vector addition. The discussion includes a trick question about the direction of the zero vector when added to a non-zero vector.
no_question

while there is a trick question posed by tenaliraman, it is more of a rhetorical question meant to provoke thought rather than a direct mathematical question seeking a specific answer. the rest of the discussion revolves around explaining the concept of the zero vector rather than solving a mathematical problem.
Given a text passage, determine:
    1. If it contains a mathematical question (including word problems or calculations)
    2. If an answer to that mathematical question is provided in the text

First, describe the content structure you found in 1-2 sentences.

Then provide your analysis in the following format:
TYPE: <one of the following values>
- NO_QUESTION
- SINGLE_QUESTION
- SINGLE_QUESTION_WITH_ANSWER
- MULTIPLE_QUESTIONS
- MULTIPLE_QUESTIONS_WITH_ANSWERS
system
# Zero Vector

#### Nusc

Where does it point?

#### Gale

no where.... or everywhere... depending on how you want to look at it. Also, what's its magnitude? hasn't one of those either... so why is it a vector? because we've defined it that way. just like the zero in numbers, its a special little bugger.

Last edited:

#### TenaliRaman

Hehe, I can put a little trick question here,
When we add two vectors, we know that the tail of one and the head of the other together form the resultant vector.

Lets take the zero vector, if it points nowhere then what is the addition of a non-zero vector and the zero vector pointing to? If it points everywhere, then why is the addition of a non-zero vector and a zero vector points in the direction where the non-zero vector pointed?

MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

-- AI

#### El Hombre Invisible

It doesn't matter which way it points. Choose any direction - when you add the vector it will have the same resultant direction.

#### TenaliRaman

Gale is actually right, the point is whether my question is really tricky?

-- AI

#### dextercioby

Homework Helper
I don't see what's the catch here.The 0 vector is just an ordinary element of the vector space.

Daniel.

#### Galileo

Homework Helper
The zero vector is that (unique) element 0, for which 0+x=x for all vectors x in your vector space. Don't worry about where it points. Since its magnitude is zero, it's direction is meaningless concept (just like the argument for 0 in the complex plane).

#### mathwonk

Homework Helper
the reason this topic seems tricky to beginners, is they forget to ask for the definition of the crucial concept, here "direction", before beginning to run with the ball.

instead they go off guided by misleading but popular phrases, like: "every vector has a magnitude and a direction".

this is the basic difference between learning mathematics and just trotting along in the peanut gallery. of course this may all be a joke, but the phenomenon mentioned here seems very real to me, from my perspective as a (would be) teacher.

#### matt grime

Homework Helper
i hated that phrase that appears in text books beloved of so many calc courses (in the US sense): a vector is something that has magnitude and direction. So crap. how about "a number is something you can add to something else"? That's just as bad but they wouldn't dare use that at all.

Anyway, the idea that vectors even have directionm at all is dubious, though often usseful. not always though. vector quantities in the physics/mechanics usage of the term may be usefully said to have directions, but a vector quantity with no magnitude isn't acting in any direction really.

#### TenaliRaman

A vector can be simply thought of as drawing a line(say in a paint program). The length of the line denotes its magnitude and the direction in which i drag my mouse becomes the direction of that vector. Now try to draw a line with magnitude zero and the direction of it becomes clear

-- AI

#### dextercioby

Homework Helper
A vector is something abstract.It is an element of a set.Therefore i could use any graphical symbol to "picture" it on the paper or in my mind.Even a circle or a sphere.

Daniel.

#### TenaliRaman

An epitaph

I lie here, mourning over the days i lived as a dead man. I could never understand what love was, it was too abstract for me. Leela, if you are reading this, then i would like to tell you, now i know. Now i know that love is you and now i know why you left me. Forgive me if you can. Let my deathbed be a reminder for those, who live a dead life. They should know, they may never get a second chance. -- Amit

Not to be sounding too poetical here, but various abstract things are understood in a completely different way by different individuals. Just pointing out how you understood could help the other person who is struggling with it.

-- AI

#### whozum

TenaliRaman said:
An epitaph

I lie here, mourning over the days i lived as a dead man. I could never understand what love was, it was too abstract for me. Leela, if you are reading this, then i would like to tell you, now i know. Now i know that love is you and now i know why you left me. Forgive me if you can. Let my deathbed be a reminder for those, who live a dead life. They should know, they may never get a second chance. -- Amit

Not to be sounding too poetical here, but various abstract things are understood in a completely different way by different individuals. Just pointing out how you understood could help the other person who is struggling with it.

-- AI
So the zero vector points towards love?

#### TenaliRaman

whozum said:
So the zero vector points towards love?
Yes, us males always carry these "zero vectors" inside us and give them to every good looking dame that passes by. Since it is of zero magnitude, there are abundant of it with us that we distribute. Its just them females, who keep attaching some magnitude to it, oh dear! :surprised

-- AI

#### Gale

WOW... how bout you boys stick to math eh.

#### whozum

TenaliRaman said:
Yes, us males always carry these "zero vectors" inside us and give them to every good looking dame that passes by. Since it is of zero magnitude, there are abundant of it with us that we distribute. Its just them females, who keep attaching some magnitude to it, oh dear! :surprised

-- AI
My love vector has a magnitude though :rofl:

### Physics Forums Values

We Value Quality
• Topics based on mainstream science
• Proper English grammar and spelling
We Value Civility
• Positive and compassionate attitudes
• Patience while debating
We Value Productivity
• Disciplined to remain on-topic
• Recognition of own weaknesses
• Solo and co-op problem solving
user
The content structure of the text passage is a series of forum posts discussing the concept of a zero vector, its direction, and its role in vector addition. The discussion includes a trick question about the direction of the zero vector when added to a non-zero vector.

TYPE: NO_QUESTION

While there is a trick question posed by TenaliRaman, it is more of a rhetorical question meant to provoke thought rather than a direct mathematical question seeking a specific answer. The rest of the discussion revolves around explaining the concept of the zero vector rather than solving a mathematical problem.