noun
- the shortest lines or paths between two points on a curved surface, such as the surface of the Earth
Usage: mathematics; geometry
Examples
- Airplane routes often follow geodesics to minimize flight time and fuel consumption.
- The geodesics on a sphere are segments of great circles.
- GPS systems calculate geodesics to determine the shortest distance between locations.
- Mathematicians study geodesics to understand the geometry of curved spaces.
- The equator and all meridians are examples of geodesics on Earth’s surface.
- Geodesics play an important role in Einstein’s theory of general relativity.