Unit normal (source code)

= Unit normal
{title2=$n$}

= Unit normal vector
{synonym}

A unit normal is a <normal vector> of <Euclidean norm> one. Given a nonzero <normal vector> $n_0$, normalization gives $n=n_0/\|n_0\|$. This makes a <dot product> $w\cdot n$ measure the signed length of the <normal component>, without an extra factor from the length of $n_0$. On a <hypersurface>, the two opposite choices $n$ and $-n$ correspond to opposite normal orientations; a continuous choice on an <orientable surface> fixes its <orientation of a surface>.