noun
- A curve traced by the endpoint of a vector representing the velocity of a moving particle, with the vector's tail fixed at the origin.
Usage: technical; mathematics and physics; plural form of hodograph
Examples
- In mechanics, hodographs are used to visualize how velocity changes over time.
- The physicist plotted hodographs to analyze the particle's motion in the force field.
- Hodographs provide a geometric representation of velocity vectors in phase space.
- By studying hodographs, engineers can better understand the dynamics of rotating systems.