position

(noun)

A place or location.

Related Terms

Examples of position in the following topics:

  • The Thomson Model

    • Thomson proposed that the atom is composed of electrons surrounded by a soup of positive charge to balance the electrons' negative charges.
    • Stoney had proposed that atoms of electricity be called electrons in 1894) surrounded by a soup of positive charge to balance the electrons' negative charges, like negatively charged "plums" surrounded by positively charged "pudding" .
    • The electrons (as we know them today) were thought to be positioned throughout the atom in rotating rings.
    • In this model the atom was also sometimes described to have a "cloud" of positive charge.
    • Now, at least part of the atom was to be composed of Thomson's particulate negative corpuscles, although the rest of the positively charged part of the atom remained somewhat nebulous and ill-defined.

  • Graphical Interpretation

    • is a graph of an object's position over time.
    • In the beginning, the object's position changes slowly as it gains speed.
    • In the middle, the speed is constant and the position changes at a constant rate.
    • As it slows down toward the end, the position changes more slowly.
    • Its position then changes more slowly as it slows down at the end of the journey.

  • Stress and Strain

    • If the charge is positive, field lines point radially away from it; if the charge is negative, field lines point radially towards it.
    • This charge is either positive or negative.
    • If the charge is positive, as shown above, the electric field will be pointing in a positive radial direction from the charge q (away from the charge) and the following text explains why.
    • The electric field of a positively charged particle points radially away from the charge.
    • The positive r direction points away from the origin, and the negative r direction points toward the origin.

  • Electric Field from a Point Charge

    • If the charge is positive, field lines point radially away from it; if the charge is negative, field lines point radially towards it .
    • This charge is either positive or negative.
    • If the charge is positive, as shown above, the electric field will be pointing in a positive radial direction from the charge q (away from the charge).
    • The electric field of a positively charged particle points radially away from the charge.
    • The positive r direction points away from the origin, and the negative r direction points toward the origin.

  • Center of Gravity

    • The center of gravity is read mathematically as: 'the position of the center of mass and weighted average of the position of the particles'.
    • The position of this force causes the object to act as a single point of force from the point.
    • Mathematical Expression: The mathematical relation of center of gravity is read as: 'the position of the center of mass and weighted average of the position of the particles. '
    • Specifically: 'the total mass x the position of the center of mass= ∑ the mass of the individual particle x the position of the particle. ' The center of mass is a geometric point in three-dimensional volume.
    • where r is the reference axis x, y, or z; m is individual mass; ri is the individual position; and M is the total mass.

  • Static Electricity, Charge, and the Conservation of Charge

    • The matter is positively charged if it contains more protons than electrons, and it is negatively charged if it contains more electrons than protons.
    • Charges of like sign (positive and positive, or negative and negative) will repel each other, whereas charges of opposite sign (positive and negative) will attract each another, as shown in .
    • The net quantity of electric charge, the amount of positive charge minus the amount of negative charge in the universe, is always conserved.
    • This does not mean that individual positive and negative charges cannot be created or destroyed.
    • Charges of like sign (positive and positive, or negative and negative) will repel each other, whereas charges of opposite sign (positive and negative) will attract each other.

  • Locating the Center of Mass

    • The position of COM is mass weighted average of the positions of particles.
    • The position of COM is given a mathematical formulation which involves distribution of mass in space:
    • where rCOM and ri are vectors representing the position of COM and i-th particle respectively, and M and mi are the total mass and mass of the i-th particle, respectively.
    • This mean means that position of COM is mass weighted average of the positions of particles.
    • If the mass distribution is continuous with the density ρ(r) within a volume V, the position of COM is given as

  • Position, Displacement, Velocity, and Acceleration as Vectors

    • In physics, vectors are useful because they can visually represent position, displacement, velocity and acceleration.
    • Physicists use the concept of a position vector as a graphical tool to visualize displacements.
    • A position vector expresses the position of an object from the origin of a coordinate system.
    • A position vector can also be used to show the position of an object in relation to a reference point, secondary object or initial position (if analyzing how far the object has moved from its original location).
    • The position vector is a straight line drawn from the arbitrary origin to the object.

  • Induced Charge

    • Normally, a unit of matter will have equal parts positive and negative charge, distributed evenly throughout the object.
    • If the inductor is positive, electrons migrate toward it, making the uncharged object more negative in that area and positive in the region opposite it.
    • If the inductor is negative, the electrons in the neutral object are repelled, leaving a positive charge near the inductor and a negative charge opposite it .
    • Circa 1870, the positive end of an electrostatic generator is placed near an uncharged brass cylinder, causing the cylinder to polarize as its left end becomes positive and its right end becomes negative.

  • Reference Frames and Displacement

    • Earth is often used as a reference frame, and we often describe the position of objects related to its position to or from Earth.
    • Mathematically, the position of an object is generally represented by the variable x.
    • There are two choices you have to make in order to define a position variable x.
    • You have to decide where to put x = 0 and which direction will be positive.
    • where Δx is displacement, xf is the final position, and x0 is the initial position.