divgradcurl homework

Inma

May 2025
Contents

1 Introduction, Vector functions and Electrostatics 3

1.1 prob I-6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

2 Surface integrals and the Divergence 4

2.1 II-1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.2 II-6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2.4 II-8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

3 Line integrals and the Curl 9

3.1 Some preliminaries before doing problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
3.1.1 Work and line integrals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
3.1.2 Line integrals involving vector functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
3.1.3 Path independence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
3.1.4 The Curl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

1
List of Figures

1.1 I-6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

3.1 A curve C is being approximate by some segments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

3.2 The path of a point object which is being acted by the force F⃗ from point s1
to point s2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
3.3 A chord joining the points s and s + ∆s on an arbitrary curve C . . . . . . . 10

2
Chapter 1

Introduction, Vector functions and

Electrostatics

1.1 prob I-6

Solution:

(a) At the same point (x0 , y0 ), the slope of the curve is the same as the slope of the vector
F⃗ -which also points in the same direction as the tangent line of the curve at that point,
hence:

Figure 1.1: I-6

mcurve = mvector

dy dFy
→ =
dx dFx

Z  
dFy
y(x) = dx
dFx

3
Chapter 2

Surface integrals and the Divergence

2.1 II-1
(a)
z =2−x−y
Thus, we have
∂z ∂z
= −1, = −1
∂x ∂y
s 
2  2
√
∂z ∂z
→ + +1 = 3
∂x ∂x

The unit normal vector is

î + ĵ + k̂
n̂ = √
3

2.2 II-6
p
The equation of the hemispherical shell: z = R2 − x2 − y 2
σ0 2 2
The distribution of mass: σ(x, y, z) = ( R 2 ).(x + y )

4
Solution:
∂z x ∂z y
=− , =−
∂x z ∂y z
r
∂z ∂z R
→ ( )2 + ( )2 + 1 = p
∂x ∂y R 2 + x2 + y 2

The total mass of the shell

ZZ
M= σ(x, y, z)dS
S
ZZ
σ0 2 R
= (x + y 2 ) p dxdy
R R R2 − x2 − y 2

x2 + y 2
ZZ
σ0
= p
R R2 − x2 − y 2
R
Transform to the Polar coordinates:
x = r.cosθ , y = r.sinθ

→ r 2 = x2 + y 2

→ dxdy = rdrdθ
So we have:
2π R
r3
Z Z
σ0
M= √ drdθ
R 0 0 R2 − r 2
π
R3 sin2 u
Z
σ0 2
= 2π √ Rcosu du
R 0 R 1 − sin2 u
Z π
σ0 2
= 2π R3 sin3 udu
R 0
Z π
2
= 2πσ0 R2 (1 − cos2 u)sinudu
0

5
Let t = cosu, hence

t = 1, t = 0

→ −dt = sinu du

So we have:
Z π
2
M = 2πσ0 R2 (1 − cos2 u)sinudu
0
Z 0
2
= −2πσ0 R (1 − t2 )dt
1

3
 
t
= −2πσ0 R2 . t|01 + |01
3

2
= 2πσ0 R2 .
3

4
The distribution of mass on the hemispherical shell is: M = πσ0 R2
3

2.3

2.4 II-8

⃗ = λ(yz î + xz ĵ + xy k̂)
E
p
z = R2 − x2 − y 2

On the xy-plane: x2 + y 2 = 1

6
According to Gauss’s law:
ZZ
Φ= ⃗ · n̂dS = Q
E
S ε0
ZZ
=> Q = ε0 E⃗ · n̂dS
S
ZZ ZZ
= ε0 ( ⃗ · n̂dS +
E ⃗ · n̂dS)
E
S1 S2

Thus we have:
x y
∂x z = − , ∂y z = − , Ex = λyz, Ey = λxy (2.1)
z z

Hence, the flux through the upper surface S1 :

ZZ ZZ
=> ⃗ · n̂dS = 3λ
E xydxdy
S1 R1

Transform to Polar coordinates:

x = rcosθ, y = rsinθ, dsdy = rdrdθ

=> r2 = x2 + y 2

Therefore, we have:
ZZ ZZ
3λ xydxdy = 3λ r3 sinθcosθdrdθ
R1 R1
Z 2π Z R
3
= λ sin(2θ)dθ r3 dr
2 0 0

=0

7
The flux through the base of the surface S2 :
ZZ ZZ
⃗ · n̂dS =
E E⃗ · (−k̂)dS
S2 S2
ZZ
=− xydxdy
S2
Z 2π Z R
1
=− sin(2θ)dθ. r3 dr
2 0 0

=0

The total flux through the shell is: Φ = 0

The total charge enclosed by the hemispherical shell is: Q = ε0 Φ = 0

8
Chapter 3

Line integrals and the Curl

3.1 Some preliminaries before doing problems

3.1.1 Work and line integrals

Figure 3.1: A curve C is being approximate by some segments.

Suppose that we have a function f(x,y,z) that is defined everywhere on C and

each segment of length ∆sk . The line integral of the function f over the curve
C is:
Z XN
f (x, y, z) ds = lim f (xk , yk , zk ) ∆sk (3.1)
C N →∞
k=1

The line integral can be evaluated parametrically in terms of the arc length
parameter s:
Z Z s2
f (x, y, z) ds = f (x(s), y(s), z(s)) ds (3.2)
C s1

9
3.1.2 Line integrals involving vector functions

Figure 3.2: The path of a point object which is being acted by the force F⃗ from point s1 to
point s2 .

The work done by the force F⃗ on the point object along the path from s1 to
s2 is:
Z
W = F⃗ (x, y, z) τ̂ ds (3.3)
C

* τ̂ is called a unit tangential vector - a unit vector that is tangent to the

curve at point (x,y,z)
Evaluating τ̂ :
dx dy dz
τ̂ (s) = î + ĵ + k̂ (3.4)
ds ds ds

*Rough-and-ready proof:

Figure 3.3: A chord joining the points s and s + ∆s on an arbitrary curve C

10
The vector ”prepresents” the line is:

∆⃗r = ∆x î + ∆y ĵ + ∆z k̂

Where we have:

∆x = x(s + ∆s) − x(s),

∆y = y(s + ∆s) − y(s),

∆z = z(s + ∆s) − z(s)

Devide both sides by ∆s and take the limit as it tends to 0, which yields
derivatives with respect to s:
∆⃗r
τ̂ = lim
∆s→0 ∆s

d⃗r dx dy dz
= = î + ĵ + k̂
ds ds ds ds

*Here, we’ve used some lines of reason that since ∆s tends to 0, and because
∆r is a approximation of the arc length ∆s, so ∆s → |∆⃗r|. Therefore, we
receive a unit vector.
The two expressions of the work in term of x,y,z are:
Z  
dx dy dz
W = F⃗ (x, y, z) · î + ĵ + k̂ ds (3.5)
C ds ds ds
Z
= (Fx dx + Fy dy + Fz dz) (3.6)
C

11
3.1.3 Path independence
⃗ is a conservative field, hence the circulation of that field is:
If E
I
⃗ · τ̂ ds = 0
E (3.7)

*The term ”Circulation” is often given to path integral of a vector function

taken over a closed path.
**Rough-and-ready proof:
The relation between a vector field and potential is:
⃗
E(x, y, z) = −∇V (x, y, z)

We’ll be using the future theorem-The Fundamental theorem of Gradients,

pretend that the object moves form point A to point B and then turns back
to point A, so we obtain:
I
=> ⃗
E(x, y, z) · τ̂ ds = V (xA , yA , zA ) − V (xA , yA , zA ) = 0

From here, we ⃗
H can also conclude that, if a vector field M is not a conservative
field, hence M⃗ · τ̂ ds ̸= 0.

3.1.4 The Curl

The curl is defined as the limit of the ratio of circulation to area as the area
tends to zero. (The rough-and-ready proof is in the book):

I
⃗ 1 ⃗ · τ̂ ds
n̂ · ∇ × G(x, y, z) = lim G (3.8)
∆S→0about(x,y,z) ∆S Ck

12
In vector form:
The curl in Cartesian coordinates:

î ĵ k̂
⃗
∇ × G = ∂x ∂y ∂z (3.9)
Gx Gy Gz

   
⃗ = ∂Gz ∂Gy ∂Gx ∂Gz
=> ∇ × G − î + − ĵ
∂y ∂z ∂z ∂x
  (3.10)
∂Gy ∂Gx
+ − k̂
∂x ∂y

The curl in Cylindrical coordinates:

   
⃗ = 1 ∂G z ∂G ϕ ∂G s ∂G s
∇×G − ŝ + − ϕ̂
r ∂ϕ ∂z ∂z ∂r
  (3.11)
1 ∂ 1 ∂Gs
+ (sGϕ ) − k̂
s ∂s s ∂ϕ

The curl in Spherical coordinates:

 
⃗ = 1 ∂
1 ∂G θ
∇×G sin θ Gϕ − r̂
r sin θ ∂θ r sin θ ∂ϕ
 
1 ∂Gr 1 ∂
+ − (rGϕ ) θ̂ (3.12)
r sinθ ∂ϕ r ∂r
 
1 ∂ 1 ∂Gr
+ (rGθ ) − ϕ̂
r ∂r r ∂θ

13
Example/pg65 :
Z
(x + y) ds
C

Where C is the straight line from the origin to the point whose coordinates
are (1,1)
Solution:
Let s be the arc length measure from the origin
s s
x=√ , y=√
2 2

Hence:
2s √
x+y = √ =s 2
2

Thus:
√
Z
√
Z 2 √
(x + y) ds = 2 s ds = 2
C 0

14