In mathematics and physics, a mathematical object that generalizes scalars and vectors to higher dimensions; in anatomy, a muscle that tenses or stretches a body part.
Latin 'tensor' meaning stretcher, from 'tendere' meaning to stretch. The mathematical meaning was introduced in the early 20th century by mathematicians working on relativity theory, extending the anatomical sense of something that creates tension.
Tensors are the mathematical language Einstein used to describe the curvature of spacetime in general relativity, making them fundamental to our understanding of gravity. Despite their intimidating reputation, tensors are simply a systematic way of keeping track of how quantities change when you rotate or transform your coordinate system.
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