Circle Of Curvature (Noun)
Meaning
The circle that touches a curve (on the concave side) and whose radius is the radius of curvature.
Classification
Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects.
Examples
- In differential geometry, the circle of curvature is used to study the local properties of curves and surfaces.
- The construction of the circle of curvature at a point on a curve involves drawing a circle that has the same tangent as the curve and whose radius is the radius of curvature.
- At each point of a curve, there is a circle of curvature that best approximates the curve locally by matching its curvature and tangent direction.
- The circle of curvature has a center on the normal line to the curve and lies on the concave side of the curve.
- For circles and straight lines, the radius of the circle of curvature is constant and never changes along the curve, while for other curves it changes.