What is the proper name for a vector when used in electrical drawings?

In electrical drawings, a vector that represents the magnitude and direction of an electrical quantity, such as voltage or current, is referred to as a phasor. Phasors are instrumental in representing sinusoidal functions of time and are used extensively in alternating current (AC) circuit analysis. They allow engineers and electricians to visualize and analyze the relationships between different electrical quantities in the frequency domain rather than the time domain.

This representation highlights both the amplitude and phase angle, enabling a more straightforward calculation of complex electrical systems. The format of a phasor simplifies the mathematical manipulation by turning differential equations involving time into algebraic equations, thereby streamlining the analysis process for those working with AC systems.