Final answer:
The pointer on a computer screen that indicates where the next character will appear is known as the cursor. It is used for text entry and interface interaction, and can perform functions such as rotating, selecting, and translating objects on-screen when combined with mouse and keyboard inputs.
Step-by-step explanation:
The pointer that appears on the computer screen to indicate where the next letter or character will appear is known as the cursor. This is not only essential for text entry, but also interacts with the graphical user interface, allowing the user to select, move, and manipulate objects on the screen. For example, in the context of manipulating a protein view in a software application, the cursor can be used in conjunction with mouse buttons and keyboard controls like the ctrl key to perform various functions such as rotating, selecting, and translating the protein, as well as changing its size. Each action requires a specific combination of cursor movement and button presses.
To illustrate the cursor's role further, let's consider a displacement scenario. If a mouse pointer starts at an initial position of (6.0 cm, 1.6 cm) on a display monitor and moves to a new position at (2.0 cm, 4.5 cm), we can calculate the displacement vector by subtracting the initial position from the final position. This gives us a displacement vector showing that the mouse pointer has moved 4.0 cm to the left and 2.9 cm upwards. This type of vector calculation is a tangible example of how we can quantify the movement of a cursor on a computer screen.