Stokes' Theorem
Stokes' Theorem
Stokes' Theorem
By the choice of F, dF
dx = f (x) . In the parlance of
dierential forms, this is saying that f(x) dx is the
exterior derivative of the 0-form, i.e. function, F: in
other words, that dF = f dx. The general Stokes theorem applies to higher dierential forms instead
of just 0-forms such as F.
A closed interval [a, b] is a simple example of a onedimensional manifold with boundary. Its boundary is the set consisting of the two points a and b.
Integrating f over the interval may be generalized
to integrating forms on a higher-dimensional manifold. Two technical conditions are needed: the manifold has to be orientable, and the form has to be
compactly supported in order to give a well-dened
integral.
d.
This modern form of Stokes theorem is a vast generalization of a classical result. Lord Kelvin communicated
it to George Stokes in a letter dated July 2, 1850.[1][2][3]
Stokes set the theorem as a question on the 1854 Smiths
Prize exam, which led to the result bearing his name, even
though it was actually rst published by Hermann Hankel
in 1861.[3][4] This classical KelvinStokes theorem relates
the surface integral of the curl of a vector eld F over a
surface in Euclidean three-space to the line integral of
the vector eld over its boundary :
F dr.
[a,b]
F = F (b)F (a).
{a} {b}+
2 General formulation
Stokes theorem is a vast generalization of this theorem in Let be an oriented smooth manifold of dimension n and
the following sense.
let be an n-dierential form that is compactly supported
1
on . First, suppose that is compactly supported in the The theorem is often used in situations where is an emdomain of a single, oriented coordinate chart {U, }. In bedded oriented submanifold of some bigger manifold on
this case, we dene the integral of over as
which the form is dened.
A proof becomes particularly simple if the submanifold
is a so-called normal manifold, as in the gure on
( 1 )
=
,
the r.h.s., which can be segmented into vertical stripes
(U )
(e.g. parallel to the xn direction), such that after a parn
tial integration concerning this variable, nontrivial coni.e., via the pullback of to R .
tributions come only from the upper and lower boundMore generally, the integral of over is dened as fol- ary surfaces (coloured in yellow and red, respectively),
lows: Let {i} be a partition of unity associated with a where the complementary mutual orientations are visible
locally nite cover {Ui, } of (consistently oriented) co- through the arrows.
ordinate charts, then dene the integral
i ,
Ui
C3
C4
C2
C1
I()(c) =
( I
=
d =
)
.
as c Mc , and
5.1
KelvinStokes theorem
I
= ai ,
ci
Underlying principle
dzdx +
dxdy
y
z
z
x
x
y
naturalness of the traditional formulation becomes appar
ent when using other coordinate systems, even familiar
I
ones like spherical or cylindrical coordinates. There is
=
{P dx + Qdy + Rdz} ,
potential for confusion in the way names are applied, and
5.1
KelvinStokes theorem
I
[g ( F) + (g) F] d =
gF dr,
6 NOTES
I
for all c, we nd
[F ( G) G ( F) + (G ) F (F ) G]d =Since this
(F holds
G)dr.
I
(F d ) ( F)d =
dr F.
I
f dVol =
Vol
5.2
Greens theorem
In electromagnetism
E=
H=
1 B
,
c t
1 D 4
+
J,
c t
c
fd
Vol
6 Notes
[1] See:
Victor J. Katz (May 1979) The history of Stokes
theorem, Mathematics Magazine, 52 (3): 146156.
The letter from Thomson to Stokes appears in:
William Thomson and George Gabriel Stokes with
David B. Wilson, ed., The Correspondence between
Sir George Gabriel Stokes and Sir William Thomson, Baron Kelvin of Largs, Volume 1: 1846
1869 (Cambridge, England: Cambridge University
Press, 1990), pages 9697.
Neither Thomson nor Stokes published a proof of
the theorem. The rst published proof appeared in
1861 in: Hermann Hankel, Zur allgemeinen Theorie der Bewegung der Flssigkeiten [On the general theory of the movement of uids] (Gttingen,
(Germany): Dieterische University Buchdruckerei,
1861); see pages 3437. Hankel doesn't mention
the author of the theorem.
In a footnote, Larmor mentions earlier researchers
who had integrated, over a surface, the curl of a vector eld. See: George G. Stokes with Sir Joseph
Larmor and John Wm. Strutt (Baron Rayleigh),
ed.s, Mathematical and Physical Papers by the late
Sir George Gabriel Stokes, ... (Cambridge, England:
University of Cambridge Press, 1905), vol. 5, pages
320321.
[2] Olivier Darrigol,Electrodynamics from Ampere to Einstein,
p. 146,ISBN 0198505930 Oxford (2000)
[3] Spivak (1965), p. vii, Preface.
[4] See:
5.3
Divergence theorem
I
F dVol =
Vol
Fd
Vol
I
f dVol = c
Vol
fd
Vol
U
{d total U } = 3i=1
di , and the circle is really neci
essary, e.g. if one considers the dierential consequences
H
!
of the integral postulate W {d total U } = 0.
[6] J.D. Jackson, Classical Electrodynamics, 2nd Ed (Wiley,
New York, 1975).
[7] M. Born and E. Wolf, Principles of Optics, 6th Ed. (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1980).
Further reading
Joos, Georg. Theoretische Physik. 13th ed.
Akademische Verlagsgesellschaft Wiesbaden 1980.
ISBN 3-400-00013-2
Katz, Victor J. (May 1979), The History of Stokes
Theorem, Mathematics Magazine 52 (3): 146156,
doi:10.2307/2690275
Marsden, Jerrold E., Anthony Tromba. Vector Calculus. 5th edition W. H. Freeman: 2003.
Lee, John. Introduction to Smooth Manifolds.
Springer-Verlag 2003. ISBN 978-0-387-95448-6
Rudin, Walter (1976), Principles of Mathematical
Analysis, New York: McGrawHill, ISBN 0-07054235-X
Spivak, Michael (1965), Calculus on Manifolds:
A Modern Approach to Classical Theorems of Advanced Calculus, HarperCollins, ISBN 978-0-80539021-6
Stewart, James. Calculus: Concepts and Contexts.
2nd ed. Pacic Grove, CA: Brooks/Cole, 2001.
Stewart, James. Calculus: Early Transcendental
Functions. 5th ed. Brooks/Cole, 2003.
External links
Hazewinkel, Michiel, ed. (2001), Stokes formula,
Encyclopedia of Mathematics, Springer, ISBN 9781-55608-010-4
Proof of the Divergence Theorem and Stokes Theorem
Calculus 3 Stokes Theorem from lamar.edu an
expository explanation
9.1
Text
9.2
Images
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9.3
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