UV Mapping

Imagine unfolding a 3D model (like a cube or sphere) into a flat 2D pattern. UV coordinates are like the coordinates of each point on that unfolded pattern, allowing you to map a 2D texture onto the 3D model. 

UV coordinates are two-dimensional texture coordinates used to map 2D textures onto 3D models. They define the position of a vertex on the 2D texture, allowing you to specify which part of the texture should be applied to which part of the 3D model. 

UV coordinates are normalized to a range of 0.0 to 1.0, where (0, 0) is the bottom-left corner of the texture and (1, 1) is the top-right corner. 

Each vertex on the 3D model has associated UV coordinates. These coordinates determine which pixel on the 2D texture will be applied to that specific vertex. 

UV coordinates can also be used for other purposes like vertex colors, controlling surface flow, and other effects.