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    The Curl of A Vector Field

    Uploaded by

    Manoj1508Aravind
    The document defines curl as a measurement of the circulation of a vector field around a point. Curl is calculated as the limit of the line integral of the vector field around an infinitesimally small contour divided by the area enclosed. A non-zero curl indicates rotational sources in the vector field. Examples are provided of vector fields with both zero and non-zero curl to illustrate how curl reveals rotational behavior.

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    The Curl of A Vector Field

    Uploaded by

    Manoj1508Aravind
    180 views7 pages
    The document defines curl as a measurement of the circulation of a vector field around a point. Curl is calculated as the limit of the line integral of the vector field around an infinitesimally small contour divided by the area enclosed. A non-zero curl indicates rotational sources in the vector field. Examples are provided of vector fields with both zero and non-zero curl to illustrate how curl reveals rotational behavior.

    Original Description:

    It throws light on curl concept of the vectors.

    Original Title

    The Curl of a Vector Field

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    © © All Rights Reserved

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    The document defines curl as a measurement of the circulation of a vector field around a point. Curl is calculated as the limit of the line integral of the vector field around an infinitesimally small contour divided by the area enclosed. A non-zero curl indicates rotational sources in the vector field. Examples are provided of vector fields with both zero and non-zero curl to illustrate how curl reveals rotational behavior.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    180 views7 pages

    The Curl of A Vector Field

    Uploaded by

    Manoj1508Aravind
    The document defines curl as a measurement of the circulation of a vector field around a point. Curl is calculated as the limit of the line integral of the vector field around an infinitesimally small contour divided by the area enclosed. A non-zero curl indicates rotational sources in the vector field. Examples are provided of vector fields with both zero and non-zero curl to illustrate how curl reveals rotational behavior.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 7

    9/16/2005

    The Curl of a Vector Field.doc

    1/7

    The Curl of a Vector Field


    Say xA ( r ) = B ( r ) . The mathematical definition of Curl is given
    as:

    Bi ( r ) = lim

    s 0

    vC A (r ) d A
    i

    si

    This rather complex equation requires some explanation !


    * Bi ( r ) is the scalar component of vector B ( r ) in the direction
    defined by unit vector ai (e.g., ax , a , a ).
    * The small surface si is centered at point r , and oriented
    such that it is normal to unit vector ai .
    * The contour Ci is the closed contour that surrounds surface
    si .
    Ci
    ai
    r

    Jim Stiles

    The Univ. of Kansas

    si

    Dept. of EECS

    9/16/2005

    The Curl of a Vector Field.doc

    2/7

    Note that this derivation must be completed for each of the


    three orthonormal base vectors in order to completely define
    B ( r ) = xA ( r ) .
    Q: What does curl tell us ?
    A: Curl is a measurement of the circulation of vector
    field A ( r ) around point r .
    If a component of vector field A ( r ) is pointing in the direction

    d A at every point on contour Ci (i.e., tangential to the contour).

    Then the line integral, and thus the curl, will be positive.

    If, however, a component of vector field A ( r ) points in the


    opposite direction (-d A ) at every point on the contour, the curl
    at point r will be negative.

    Bi < 0

    Bi > 0

    Likewise, these vector fields will result in a curl with zero value
    at point r :

    Jim Stiles

    The Univ. of Kansas

    Dept. of EECS

    9/16/2005

    The Curl of a Vector Field.doc

    3/7

    Bi = 0

    Bi = 0

    * Generally, the curl of a vector field result is in another


    vector field whose magnitude is positive in some regions of
    space, negative in other regions, and zero elsewhere.
    * For most physical problems, the curl of a vector field
    provides another vector field that indicates rotational sources
    (i.e., paddle wheels ) of the original vector field.
    For example, consider this vector field A(r ) :
    4

    x
    -2

    -4

    -4

    Jim Stiles

    -2

    The Univ. of Kansas

    Dept. of EECS

    9/16/2005

    The Curl of a Vector Field.doc

    4/7

    If we take the curl of A(r ) , we get a vector field which points


    in the direction az at all points (x,y). The scalar component of

    this resulting vector field (i.e., Bz( r )) is:


    4

    0.75
    -2

    0.5
    Ax Hx,y L

    0.25
    2
    0

    -4

    -4

    0
    y

    -4

    -2

    0
    x

    -2

    -2

    0
    x

    -4
    4

    The relationship between the original vector field A(r ) and its
    resulting curl perhaps is best shown when plotting both
    together:
    4

    -2

    -4

    -4

    Jim Stiles

    -2

    0
    x

    The Univ. of Kansas

    Dept. of EECS

    9/16/2005

    The Curl of a Vector Field.doc

    5/7

    Note this scalar component is largest in the region near point


    x=-1, y=1, indicating a rotational source in this region. This is
    likewise apparent from the original plot of vector field A(r ) .
    Consider now another vector field:
    4

    -2

    -4

    -4

    -2

    Although at first this vector field appears to exhibit no


    rotation, it in fact has a non-zero curl at every point
    ( B(r ) = 4.0 az ) ! Again, the direction of the resulting field is in
    the direction az . We plot therefore the scalar component in
    this direction (i.e., Bz (r ) ):

    4
    2

    -2

    -4
    8

    6
    Ax Hx,y L

    4
    2

    -2
    0

    -4
    -2

    -4

    -4

    -2

    Jim Stiles

    2
    4

    The Univ. of Kansas

    Dept. of EECS

    9/16/2005

    The Curl of a Vector Field.doc

    6/7

    We might encounter a more complex vector field, such as:


    4

    -2

    -4

    -4

    -2

    If we take the curl of this vector field, the resulting vector


    field will again point in the direction az at every point (i.e.,

    Bx (r ) = By (r ) = 0 ). Plotting therefore the scalar component of

    the resulting vector field (i.e., Bz (r ) ), we get:

    1
    4
    Ax Hx,y L

    0
    2

    -1

    -2

    -4

    0
    y

    -2
    -2

    -4
    x

    -4
    -4

    -2

    0
    x

    Note these plots indicate that there are two regions of large
    counter clockwise rotation in the original vector field, and one
    region of large clockwise rotation.
    Jim Stiles

    The Univ. of Kansas

    Dept. of EECS

    9/16/2005

    The Curl of a Vector Field.doc

    7/7

    -2

    -4

    -4

    -2

    0
    x

    Finally, consider these vector fields:


    4

    -2

    -2

    -4

    -4

    -4

    -2

    -4

    -2

    The curl of these vector fields is zero at all points. It is


    apparent that there is no rotation in either of these vector
    fields!
    Jim Stiles

    The Univ. of Kansas

    Dept. of EECS

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