Re: [Phys-l] Current as Vector

[Jack Uretsky <jlu@hep.anl.gov>]

On Wed, 22 Mar 2006, John Denker wrote (in part):

> Help me out here.  We have something that is not a scalar.  It has
> magnitude *and direction*.  But is not a vector.  So, what is it?
> Do mathematicians have a name for this type of non-scalar non-vector
> quantity?
	Mathematicians speak of the set R of real numbers which, of 
course, consists of positive and negative numbers. A scalar is a member of 
the set R (see, e.g., Birkhoff & McLean, <A Survey of Modern Algebra> 
(McMillan 1953)).  The unfortunate influence of the French School, 
Bourbaki, encourages us to make all definitions set-theoretical.
						Regards,
							Jack


>

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