Geodesic (Noun)
Meaning
(mathematics) the shortest line between two points on a mathematically defined surface (as a straight line on a plane or an arc of a great circle on a sphere).
Classification
Nouns denoting two and three dimensional shapes.
Examples
- The geodesic on a sphere is an arc of a great circle that passes through the two given points.
- The concept of a geodesic is used in differential geometry to study the properties of curves on surfaces.
- On a flat plane, the geodesic between two points is simply the straight line segment that connects them.
- The geodesic on a surface of constant curvature, such as a sphere or a pseudosphere, can be determined using the equations of geodesic deviation.
- In general relativity, the geodesic equation is used to describe the motion of objects under the influence of gravity.