Fields¶
The concept of field extends that of scalar and vector magnitudes to be defined over space. A field is a physical magnitude that is defined, in a continuous way, over position, \(\vec{r}\). We will use two kinds of field, the first is the scalar field,
(52)¶\[\text{field}\rightarrow f(\vec{r})\]
where a scalar magnitude like, for example, pressure is defined over the space that is being studied like, for example, the Earth’s surface.
The second kind of field is the vector field,
(52)¶\[\text{field}\rightarrow \vec{F}(\vec{r})\]
in which, for each position of space, a vector physical magnitude is defined. For example, one may define the wind’s velocity on the Earth’s surface.
These concepts will be discussed in more detail over the next pages.