K. J. SOMAIYA COLLEGE OF ENGG.
VECTOR DIFFERENTIATION
POINT FUNCTION:
A variable quantity, which depends for its value upon the coordinates of the point of a region, say (x, y, z)
in space, is called a Point Function. There are two types of point function:
SCALAR POINT FUNCTION:
If to each point P of a region R in space there corresponds a definite scalar ( ) , then is called a scalar
point function in region R. The region R so defined is called a scalar field.
Examples: Density of a body, temperature of a body at any instant
VECTOR POINT FUNCTIONS:
If to each point P of a region R in space there corresponds a definite vector F( ) , then F is called a
vector point function in region R. The region R so defined is called a vector field.
Examples: The velocities of a moving fluid at any instant, Gravitational force are vector point function.
VECTOR OPERATOR DEL (OR NABLA):
The vector differential operator del is written as is defined by
GRADIENT: If ( )is a scalar point function then the gradient of written as or grad is defind by
DIVERGENCE:
Let ̅ ( ) ̅ ̅ ̅ be a vector point function defined in a certain region of space, where the
components are functions of x, y, z then the divergence of ̅ written as ̅ or ̅ is defined by
̅= ̅ ( ̅ ̅ ̅) ( ̅ ̅ ̅)
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K. J. SOMAIYA COLLEGE OF ENGG.
CURL :
Let ̅ ( ) ̅ ̅ ̅ be a vector point function defined in a certain region of space then the curl of ̅ ,
written as ̅ or curl ̅ is defined by
̅ ̅ ̅
̅ ̅ ( ̅ ̅ ̅) ( ̅ ̅ ̅) | |
1. Gradient of Scalar Point Function is Vector Point Function
2. Divergence of Vector Point Function is Scalar Point Function
3. Curl of Vector Point Function is Vector Point Function
EXERCISE
1. If ( )
2. Find if
(a) √ (b) ( )
3. Prove that ( ) ( ) and hence, find ( ) ( )
4. (a) Find ( ) such that ( )
(b) If
5. If show that [ ]
6. If , prove that [ ]
7. If ( )
8. If [ ]
9. Find div and curl where
(a) (b) at (1, 2, 3)
10. If , find (a) (b) div (c) curl where .
11. If ( ) ( ) ( ) then show that curl at ( )and
( )are orthogonal.
12. If ( ) ( ).
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K. J. SOMAIYA COLLEGE OF ENGG.
13. If and find ( ) at (1, 2, 1)
14. If ( ) ( ) prove that . Curl
ANSWERS
1.
⁄
2. (a) ( ) ( ) (b) ( ) ( )
3. ( )
( )
4. (a) ( ) ( ) (b)
7. 8. ( ) ( ) ( )
( )
9. (a) (i) ( )
(ii) ( )
(b) (i) 65 (ii)
10. (a) (b) ( )
(c) ( ) ( ) ( )
12. 96 13. 10.
IDENTITIES INVOLVING GRAD, DIV, CURL:
1. ( )
( )
2. ( ̅ ̅) ̅ ̅
(̅ ̅) ̅ ̅
3. ( ̅ ̅) ̅ ̅
(̅ ̅) ̅ ̅
4. ( )
( ) where and are scalar functions
5. ( ̅ ̅) ̅ ( ̅) ̅ ( ̅) ( ̅ ) ̅ ( ̅ ) ̅
( ̅ ̅) ̅ ( ̅) ̅ ( ̅) ( ̅ ) ̅ ( ̅ ) ̅
6. ( ̅) ̅ ̅
( ̅) ( ̅) ̅ ( )
7. ( ̅ ̅) ̅ ̅ ̅ ̅
( ̅ ̅) ̅ ( ̅) ̅ ( ̅)
8. ( ̅ ̅) ̅ ̅ ̅ ̅ ( ̅ ) ̅ ( ̅ ) ̅
( ̅ ̅) ̅( ̅) ̅( ̅) ( ̅ ) ̅ ( ̅ ) ̅
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K. J. SOMAIYA COLLEGE OF ENGG.
9. ( ̅) ( ̅) ( ) ̅
( ̅) ( ̅) ( ) ̅
EXERCISE
If and are constant vectors and , prove that,
1. (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v)
2. ( ) 3. ( )
4. ( ) 5. ( ( ))
6. ( ) 7. ( )
8. [( ) ] 9. [( ) ]
( )( )
10. [ ( )] 11. ( )
( ) ( )
12. * +
13. ( ) ( ) where ( ) ( )
( )
14. , - 15. ( )
16. div grad ( ) 17. ( )
( ) ( )
18. ( ) 19. ( ) ( ) ( )
( )
20. and hence, show that ( ) where is a constant vector.
( )
21. Prove that , - [ ( )] Hence or otherwise prove that div ( ̅) ( )
GEOMETRICAL MEANING OF :
Consider a scalar point function and let ̅ ̅ ̅ ̅ be the position vector of a point P on the
surface ( ) .
Such a surface for which the value of the function is constant is called a level surface.
Then ̅ ̅ ̅ ̅ lies in the tangent plane to the surface at P( )
Z
Since ( )
Hence, ̅ ( ) ( )
Y
O
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K. J. SOMAIYA COLLEGE OF ENGG.
is a vector perpendicular to ̅ . But since ̅ lies in the tangent plane, is a vector perpendicular
to the tangent plane to the surface ( ) .
is a normal vector to the surface ( ) in the outward direction.
ANGLE BETWEEN TWO SURFACES:
We know that is perpendicular to the tangent plane to the surface ( ) . Hence, if
( ) and ( ) are two surfaces the angle between the two surface is equal to the angle
between the normal i.e. the angle between and .
If is the angle between them then || ||
|
|
If the surfaces are orthogonal then
EXERCISE
1. Find the unit normal to the surface
(i) ( ). (ii) ( )
√ √ √
2. Find the angle between the normal to the surface ( )and to
( ).
3. Find the acute angle between the surfaces at ( )
4. Find the angle between the normal to the surface ( ) ( )
5. Find the angle between the normal to the surface and at ( ).
6. Find the angle between the two surface and at ( )
7. Find the constants a and b such that the surface ( ) will be orthogonal to the
surface ( ).
8. Find the constants a, b, c if the normal to the surfaces at ( ) is parallel to
( ).
9. Find the constants a, b if the angle between the surfaces &
at( ) ( ⁄√ )
ANSWERS
1. (i) (ii)
√
2. ⁄√ 3. ⁄ √ 4. ⁄√
√
5. ⁄ √ 6.
√
7. 8. 9.
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DIRECTIONAL DERIVATIVE:
̅
is a vector quantity its component (or resolved part) in the direction of a vector ̅ is | ̅|
This component is called the directional derivative of in the direction of ̅.
̅
Thus, the directional derivative of in the direction of ̅ | ̅|
Physically the directional derivative is the rate of change of at (x, y, z) in the given direction.
MAXIMUM DIRECTIONAL DERIVATIVE:
Since the resolved part of a vector is maximum in its own direction, the directional derivative is maximum
in the direction . Since is normal to the surface, we can also say that is maximum in the direction of the
normal to the surface and the maximum directional derivative is | |.
EXERCISE
1. Find the directional derivative of ( ) in the direction of
2. Find the directional derivative of ( ) in the direction from this point towards
the point ( )
3. Find the directional derivative of at ( ) in the direction of normal to the
surface at ( ).
4. Find the directional derivative of ( ) in the direction normal to the surface
at ( ).
5. Find the rate of change of in the direction normal to the surface at the
point (1, 1, 1 ).
6. Find the directional derivative of ( ) in the direction of the tangent to
the curve
7. Find the directional derivative of ⁄( ) ( ) in the direction making an angle of with
positive x – axis.
8. Find the directional derivative of at ( ) in the direction towards ( ).
In what direction from P is the directional derivative maximum? Find the magnitude of maximum
directional derivative.
9. In what direction is the directional derivative of ( ) maximum? Find its
magnitude.
10. If the directional derivative of at ( ) is maximum in the direction of
find a and b.
11. Find the constants a, b, if the directional derivative of at ( ) is maximum in
the direction of the tangent to the curve, ( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
12. Find the constants a, b, c such that the directional derivative of at ( ) has a
maximum magnitude 4 in the direction parallel to the x – axis .
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ANSWERS
1. ⁄ √ 2. ⁄ 3. ⁄ 4. ⁄√
5. ⁄√ 6. ⁄√ 7. √ ⁄
8. ⁄ 9. 418.45 10.
11. 12.
PHYSICAL INTERPRETATION OF DIVERGENCE:
Consider a region of space filled with a fluid which moves so that its velocity vector at any point P(x,y,z) is
̅( ) ̅ ̅ ̅ where are scalar functions of x, y, z and are the components of velocity
parallel to the axes.
Now construct a parallelepiped having centre at P(x, y, z) and edges parallel to the coordinates axes. Since
the components of normal to any face is responsible for the flow through that face. Total gain of fluid in the
parallelepiped per unit volume per unit time is ̅ which is ̅.
A vector ̅ whose ̅ is called solenoid for such a vector there is no loss or gain of fluid. If there is no
gain of fluid anywhere then ̅ = 0. Since fluid is neither created nor destroyed at any point, it is said to have no
source or sinks
Examples:
1. If V represents an electric flux then div V is the amount of flux which diverges per unit volume in unit time.
2. If V represents heat flux then div V is the rate at which heat is issuing from a point per unit volume in unit
time.
3. If V represents velocity of fluid then div V gives the rate at which fluid is originating at a point per unit
volume.
PHYSICAL INTERPRETATION OF CURL: ̅
̅
Consider a motion of a rigid body rotating about a fixed axis OA through the origin.
Let be its angular velocity. We can prove Ω = curl ̅
A P
Thus the angular velocity of rotation at any point is equal to half the curl of the velocity
vector. In general, the curl of any vector point function gives the measure of the angular
velocity at any point of the vector field. ̅
Any motion in which the curl of the velocity vector is zero i.e. if ̅ then
i.e angular velocity is zero then the motion is said to be irrotational or conservative, otherwise
it is rotational. In view of this interpretation of curl, curl is also called the rotation of ̅ and is O
sometimes denoted by ̅
In general, if ̅ i.e curl ̅ ̅ then we can find scalar field so that ̅ .
A vector field ̅ which can be derived from a scalar field so that ̅ is called a conservation vector field
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K. J. SOMAIYA COLLEGE OF ENGG.
And is called the scalar potential. conversely also, if ̅ then ̅ ̅ i.e curl ̅ ̅
EXERCISE
1. Show that vector ( ) ( ) ( ) is solenoidal.
2. Show that the vector is solenoidal.
3. Determine the constant a, so that the vector ( ) ( ) ( ) is solenoidel.
4. Show that ( ) ( ) ( ) is both solenoidal and
irrotational.
5. Prove that is both irrotational and solenoidal.
6. Show that the vector ( ) ( ) ( ) is irrotational.
7. Show that the vector is irrotational.
8. Show that if ( ) ( ) is an irrotational vector then either
9. If ( ) ( ) ( ) , find where ( )
10. Show that the vector, ( ) ( ) ( ) is irrotational and hence, find such
that .
11. Show that the vector ( ) ( ) ( ) is irrotational and find its
scalar potential.
12. Prove that ( ) ( ) ( ) is irrotational and find scalar potential
function such that and ( ) .
ANSWERS
3. 9.
10. 11.
12.
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