hairy ball theorem

English

Proper noun

A demonstration of the hairy ball theorem by a failed attempt to comb a hairy ball flat.

hairy ball theorem

1. (mathematics) A theorem stating that there is no nonvanishing continuous tangent vector field on the sphere; colloquially, that "you can't comb a hairy ball flat without creating a cowlick".

Translations

theorem of algebraic topology

• Russian: теоре́ма о причёсывании ежа́ f (teoréma o pričósyvanii ježá)

See also

• vector fields on spheres on Wikipedia.Wikipedia