Versor

1 definition found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Versor \Ver"sor\, n. [NL., fr. L. vertere, versus, to turn. See
     {Version}.] (Geom.)
     The turning factor of a quaternion.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     Note: The change of one vector into another is considered in


           quaternions as made up of two operations; 1st, the
           rotation of the first vector so that it shall be
           parallel to the second; 2d, the change of length so
           that the first vector shall be equal to the second.
           That which expresses in amount and kind the first
           operation is a versor, and is denoted geometrically by
           a line at right angles to the plane in which the
           rotation takes place, the length of this line being
           proportioned to the amount of rotation. That which
           expresses the second operation is a tensor. The product
           of the versor and tensor expresses the total operation,
           and is called a quaternion. See {Quaternion}.
           [1913 Webster]
  
     {Quadrantal versor}. See under {Quadrantal}.
        [1913 Webster]