Q&A: Vectors
Originally published:
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Vectors
Question
How do we know that the formulas dealing with physical vectors are correct and describe reality? Are these formulas things that were invented, and their relevance was tested in experiments, and it was found that they describe what happens in the world when forces are applied to objects?
Answer
I didn’t understand the question. Everything is tested experimentally, just like any other physical law. Vector calculus is a mathematical theory, but once it is applied to physical phenomena (like forces or velocities), it is supposed to hold up under empirical experiments.
Discussion on Answer
Yes. Like any other scientific law.
Is it supposed to hold up under empirical experiments because we rely on induction?