Calc 3 Lecture Notes Section 11.

5 Page 1 of 11
Section 11.5: Tangent and Normal Vectors
Big idea: There are three mutually orthogonal vectors to any curve in 3D that can be calculated
(fairly) easily in terms of the vector-valued function that traces out the curve.
Big skill: You should be able to compute unit tangent, normal, and binormal vectors to the curve
traced out by a given a vector-valued function, compute the radius of curvature and center of the
osculating circle, and compute components of acceleration parallel to and perpendicular to a
curve.
Motivation !ur usual x-, y-, and z-a"es represent a fi"ed coordinate frame not al#ays
convenient for investigating the behavior of a moving ob$ect.
!ccasionally it is desirable to have a %moving coordinate frame& in #hich one of the %coordinate
a"es& al#ays points in the direction of motion of the ob$ect. Thin' airplanes or roller coasters.
The moving coordinate frame #ill still be a %rectangular& coordinate frame, consisting of three
mutually perpendicular %a"es& defined by unit vectors( it)s $ust that these vectors #ill rotate as
the ob$ect moves along its tra$ectory.
*o, given the position vector r(t), ho# do #e compute three mutually perpendicular unit vectors
at any time t, one of #hich points in the direction of motion+
,e already have one such vector
First Local nit Vector: T!e nit Tangent Vector
( )
( )
( )
t
t
t

r
T
r
-o#, need to find t#o other unit vectors perpendicular to T(t) (and to each other).
,e can get one of them by recall T!eorem ".# in Section 11.":
( ) t r
is constant if and only if r(t) and r(t) are orthogonal for all t.
The above statement applies to any arbitrary vector function r(t), including T(t). *ince ( ) t T
is
constant (because it)s a unit vector), T(t) must $e %er%endicular to T(t) for all t.
.f you don)t buy that argument, #e can prove T(t) and T(t) are orthogonal by sho#ing
T(t)T(t) / 0
Calc 3 Lecture Notes Section 11.5 Page " of 11
( ) ( )
( )
( )
( )
( )
( )
( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( )
( )
( ) ( )
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( )
( )
( )
( )
( )
( )
( ) ( )
( )
( )
( )
( )
( )
( )
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
1
2
2
13 2
2
1
1
1
1
2
t t d
t t
dt t t
t d d
t t t
dt dt t t
t d
t t t t
dt t t
t t t d
t t
dt t t
t
t t t d
t t t t
dt t t
t

1


1

1
]
1

+ 1

1
]
1

+ 1

1
]
1

1

1
]

1

r r
T T
r r
r
r r r
r r
r
r r r r
r r
r r r
r r
r r
r
r r r
r r r r
r r
r
( )
( )
( )
( )
( )
( )
( )
( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( )
( )
( )
( )
( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( )
( ) ( )
( )
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( )
( ) ( )
( )
( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( )
2
3
2 4
2
2 4
1 1
2
0
t t t
t t t t
t t t
t
t t t t t
t t
t
t t t t t t
t t
t t t t t
t t
1
1
]
1
]
1

1 + 1
]

1

]
1

1


1
]

r r r
r r r r
r r r
r
r r r r r
r r
r
r r r r r r
r r
r r r r r
r r
5he#6 That stun'6 7ere is a shorter proof
( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( ) [ ]
( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
( ) ( )
( ) ( )
2
1
1
0
2 0
0
t t t
d d
t t
dt dt
t t t t
t t
t t

1
]
+


T T T
T T
T T T T
T T
T T
This sidetrac' is meant to motivate you to begin to remember vector identities, theorems, and
tric's, instead of $ust cran'ing through the derivatives8
Calc 3 Lecture Notes Section 11.5 Page 3 of 11
9ny#ay, #e)ve sho#n in agoni:ing detail that T(t) and T(t) are orthogonal, so #e $ust need to
normali:e it to ma'e it a unit vector
Second Local nit Vector: T!e Princi%al nit Normal Vector &'efinition 5.1(
( )
( )
( )
t
t
t

T
N
T
*o, in #hich of the infinitely many directions that are perpendicular to T(t) does N(t) point+
;y the <hain =ule, ( )
d d ds
t
dt ds dt

T T
T .
*ubstituting into the definition of N(t)
( )
( )
( )
( )
1
t
t
t
d ds
ds dt
d ds
ds dt
d ds
ds dt
d ds
ds dt
d
t
ds

T
N
T
T
T
T
T
T
N
,here the facts that
d
ds

T
and
ds ds
dt dt

because ( ) ( ) 0 s t t > r
have been used.
*ince N(t) points in the same direction as
d
ds
T
, N(t) %oints in t!e direction in )!ic! T(t)
turns as arc lengt! increases.
This implies that N(t) al)a*s %oints to)ard t!e conca+e side of t!e cur+e.
,in5lot can really help to visuali:e this8
Calc 3 Lecture Notes Section 11.5 Page # of 11
Practice:
1. >ind the unit tangent and principal unit normal vectors to the curve defined by
( )
2
, t t t r
.
2. >ind the unit tangent and principal unit normal vectors to the curve defined by
( ) ( ) ( ) 2sin , 2cos , 0.? t t t t r
.
Calc 3 Lecture Notes Section 11.5 Page 5 of 11
.f our curve is in three dimensions, #e can get a third vector that is mutually orthogonal to T(t)
and N(t) using the vector cross product
T!ird Local nit Vector: T!e Binormal Vector &'efinition 5."(
( ) ( ) ( ) t t t B T N
This is a unit vector already, since
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) sin 1 1 sin @0 1 t t t t t B T N T N
This triple of local, moving unit vectors T(t), N(t), and B(t) is 'no#n as the TNB frame, the
>renet-*erret frame, or sometimes the mo+ing tri!edral. .t)s important for differential
geometry, spacecraft navigation, nonlinear system analysis, magnetic field studies, and a host of
other applications (not one of #hich . could list right no#8)
Practice:
1. >ind T(t), N(t), and B(t) for the curve defined by ( ) ( ) ( ) 2sin , 2cos , 0.? t t t t r
, and at
the point (2, -2, 0).
Calc 3 Lecture Notes Section 11.5 Page , of 11
Normal Planes- .sculating Planes- and .sculating Circles
9t each point on the curve, the plane defined by the normal vector N(t) and the binormal vector
B(t) is called the normal %lane. .t is the plane that contains all vectors perpendicular to the
tangent vector. 9lternatively, t!e normal %lane is t!e %lane t!at %asses t!roug! t!e s%ecified
%oint on t!e cur+e and !as T(t) as a normal +ector.
The plane defined by the tangent vector T(t) and the principal unit normal vector N(t) is called
the osculating %lane (for a 2-dimensional curve, the osculating plane is $ust the xy-plane). This
name arises from the fact that the osculating plane contains the osculating circle, #hich is the
largest circle that $ust %'isses& (or is tangent to) the curve at a given point8
*o, recall that the curvature of a circle is the reciprocal of its radius, as #as sho#n in *ection
11.4 9t some point P on our curve, suppose that #e have computed the curvature (and
suppose this curvature is non:ero). The circle #hose radius is 3 1 , lies in the osculating plane,
and has its center is located 3 1 units a#ay from P in the direction of the principal unit normal
is called the osculating circle for the curve at that point.
The osculating circle . . . .
has the same curvature as the curve itself at P
has the same tangent vector as the curve at P (namely,

T
is tangent to both).
has a radius of 3 1 , called the radius of cur+ature for the curve at P.
is considered the circle of %best fit& for the curve at P.
is centered at the terminal point of the vector
( )
( )
( )
1
t t
t
+ r N
Practice:
1. >ind the osculating circle for the parabola defined by ( )
2
, t t t r
.
Calc 3 Lecture Notes Section 11.5 Page / of 11
Tangential and Normal Com%onents of 0cceleration
9 simple picture in 2D #ill serve to introduce this topic. 9t any point along the path of an ob$ect
moving along a smooth curve, the acceleration vector a(t) can be decomposed into the sum of a
vector parallel to the unit tangent vector T(t) and a vector parallel to the principal unit normal
vector N(t)
Note:
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) t t t t
T
a a T T
( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) t t t t
N
a a N N
8 This is much shorter than #hat is about to come8
Thus, in general, #e e"pect that part of the acceleration vector acts in the direction the ob$ect is
already moving (or in the opposite direction), tending to cause the ob$ect to change speed, #hile
part of the vector #ill act in a direction orthogonal to the direction of motion, tending to cause
the ob$ect to change direction.
-o# #ish to investigate this phenomenon more carefully( 'eep in mind that in 3D there is a third
direction as indicated by the binormal vector B(t).
=ecall
( )
( )
( )
t
t
t

r
T
r
. Thus, ( ) ( ) ( ) t t t r T r
Therefore, ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) t t t t + r T r
Asing the product rule, the acceleration vector a(t) / +(t) can be sho#n to be
Calc 3 Lecture Notes Section 11.5 Page 1 of 11
=ecall that the principal unit normal vector N(t) is given by
( )
( )
( )
t
t
t

T
N
T
, and therefore
( ) ( ) ( ) t t t T T N
.
9lso, the <hain =ule tells us that
( )
d d ds d ds
t
dt ds dt ds dt

T T T
T
This allo#s us to conclude that ( ) ( )
ds
t t
dt
T N , and therefore our e"pression for acceleration
above can be re#ritten as
( ) ( ) ( )
2
2
2
d s ds
t t t
dt dt

_
+

,
a T N
<omments3observations
9bove formula sho#s us ho# the acceleration vector a(t) can be decomposed into t!e sum of a
+ector %arallel to T(t) and a +ector %arallel to N(t).
9pparently, t!e acceleration +ector al)a*s lies in t!e %lane determined $* T(t) and N(t)2
t!ere is no com%onent of acceleration in t!e direction of t!e $inormal B(t).
The coefficient
2
2
dt
s d
is called the tangential com%onent of acceleration, denoted
T
a , and
measures ho# rapidly the speed is changing (if it)s negative, the ob$ect is slo#ing do#n).
The coefficient
2

,
_

dt
ds
is called the normal com%onent of acceleration, denoted
N
a
, and
measures ho# rapidly the ob$ect is turning.
-ormal component of acceleration related to centripetal force. ,e see here that this force is
directly proportional to the curvature and the sBuare of the speed.
9bove formula often e"pressed in the form ( )
T N
t a a + a T N
,
#here
T
a and N
a
are given by the formulas
2
2
dt
s d
a
T
,
2

,
_

dt
ds
a
N

!ften #ish to compute these Buantities, so #e can better understand ho# the ob$ect)s speed and
direction are changing.
<omputing
T
a is generally fairly easy( given r(t)
Calc 3 Lecture Notes Section 11.5 Page 3 of 11
>ind r(t)
<ompute ( )
ds
t
dt
r
>ind
2
2
dt
s d
a
T
by differentiating
dt
ds
.
Calc 3 Lecture Notes Section 11.5 Page 14 of 11
<omputing N
a
using the second of these t#o formulas is tedious because it reBuires us to
compute the curvature.
Casier #ay of computing
N
a
comes from observing that the three vectors a(t), a
T
T, and a
-
N,
form a right triangle (recall that T(t) and N(t) are perpendicular)
;y the 5ythagorean Theorem,
Thus, #e have the follo#ing alternative formula for N
a

Thus, once you have computed a(t), and the tangential component a
T
, you can compute a
-
using
the above formula (#ithout having to compute the curvature).
9dded bonus once #e)ve found
N
a
using this alternative formula, then, since
2

,
_

dt
ds
a
N
,
#e can compute the curvature using
2

,
_

dt
ds
a
N

>inally, #orth noting that

T
a and N
a
, being, by definition, the components of the vector a(t) in
the directions of ) (
D
t T and ) (
D
t N , are given by the follo#ing
T
a a T
r
(
N
a a N
r
These formulas, ho#ever, don)t generally provide us #ith easier #ays of computing
T
a and
N
a
(recall that N
D
tends to be tedious to compute).
Calc 3 Lecture Notes Section 11.5 Page 11 of 11
C"ample
<onsider a moving ob$ect #hose position at time t is given by the vector function
t t t t r 3 , , ) (
2

r
, #here distances are measured in feet and time in seconds.
(a) <ompute the tangential and normal components of acceleration.
(b) .s the ob$ect speeding up or slo#ing do#n at 2 t + 9t #hat rate+
(c) <ompute an e"pression for the curvature .