In Unity, understanding the x, y, and z axes is crucial for manipulating objects in 3D space. Here’s a breakdown:

Position

X-Axis: Represents the horizontal position. Moving an object along the x-axis will shift it left or right.
Y-Axis: Represents the vertical position. Moving an object along the y-axis will shift it up or down.
Z-Axis: Represents the depth position. Moving an object along the z-axis will shift it forward or backward.

Rotation

X-Axis (Pitch): Rotating around the x-axis tilts the object forward or backward.
Y-Axis (Yaw): Rotating around the y-axis turns the object left or right.
Z-Axis (Roll): Rotating around the z-axis rolls the object, tilting it side to side.

Visual Representation

Imagine a 3D coordinate system:

The x-axis runs horizontally.
The y-axis runs vertically.
The z-axis runs in and out of the screen.

Example in Unity

If you have a cube at position (0, 0, 0):

Moving it to (1, 0, 0) will shift it 1 unit to the right.
Rotating it 90 degrees around the y-axis will turn it to face a different direction.

Positioning Objects

In Unity, you can set the position of an object using the Transform component. Here’s an example of how to position a cube:

In this example, the cube is positioned at (1, 2, 3) in the 3D space:

X = 1: 1 unit to the right.
Y = 2: 2 units up.
Z = 3: 3 units forward.

Rotating Objects

You can also rotate objects using the Transform component. Here’s an example:

In this example, the cube is rotated 45 degrees around the y-axis:

X = 0: No tilt forward or backward.
Y = 45: Turned 45 degrees to the right.
Z = 0: No roll side to side.

Combining Position and Rotation

You can combine both position and rotation to place and orient objects precisely:

In this example:

The cube is positioned at (1, 2, 3).
The cube is rotated 30 degrees around the x-axis, 45 degrees around the y-axis, and 60 degrees around the z-axis.

Practical Tips

Use the Scene View: In Unity’s Scene view, you can visually move and rotate objects using the gizmos.
Inspector Panel: You can manually enter position and rotation values in the Inspector panel for precise adjustments.
Scripts: Use C# scripts to dynamically change position and rotation during gameplay.

Example Project(For Students)

For your VR/AR course, you might have students create a simple scene where they position and rotate objects to form a specific layout. This will help them understand the basics of 3D space manipulation.

Positioning Cheatsheet