Module-IV: Vector Calculus

Lesson 43

Divergence and Curl

43.1 Divergence of a Vector Field

Let 𝑣𝑣 = 𝑣𝑣1 (𝑥𝑥, 𝑦𝑦, 𝑧𝑧)𝑖𝑖 + 𝑣𝑣2 (𝑥𝑥, 𝑦𝑦, 𝑧𝑧)𝑗𝑗 + 𝑣𝑣3 (𝑥𝑥, 𝑦𝑦, 𝑧𝑧)𝑘𝑘 define a vector field.

We define the divergence of vector field as below:

Divergence of 𝑣𝑣, denoted bi div 𝑣𝑣 , is defined as the scalar

𝜕𝜕𝑣𝑣1 𝜕𝜕𝑣𝑣2 𝜕𝜕𝑣𝑣3
div 𝑣𝑣 = + +
𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕

𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝑣𝑣1 𝜕𝜕𝑣𝑣2 𝜕𝜕𝑣𝑣3

Also div 𝑣𝑣 = ∇. 𝑣𝑣 = �𝑖𝑖 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 + 𝑗𝑗 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 + 𝑘𝑘 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 � . (𝑣𝑣1 𝑖𝑖 + 𝑣𝑣2 𝑗𝑗 + 𝑣𝑣3 𝑘𝑘) = + +
𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕

43.1.1 Example

Here we will find the divergence of the vector field 𝑣𝑣 = (𝑥𝑥 2 𝑦𝑦 2 − 𝑧𝑧 3 )𝑖𝑖 + 2𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥 + 𝑒𝑒 𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥 𝑘𝑘.

Note that we have

𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕
div 𝑣𝑣 = 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 (𝑥𝑥 2 𝑦𝑦 2 − 𝑧𝑧 3 ) + 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 (2𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥) + 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 (𝑒𝑒 𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥 )

= 2𝑥𝑥𝑦𝑦 2 + 2𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥 + 𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑒𝑒 𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥

43.2 Curl of a Vector Field 𝒗𝒗

Curl of a vector field 𝑣𝑣, denoted by curl 𝑣𝑣, is defined as the vector field
𝜕𝜕𝑣𝑣 𝜕𝜕𝑣𝑣2 𝜕𝜕𝑣𝑣 𝜕𝜕𝑣𝑣3 𝜕𝜕𝑣𝑣 𝜕𝜕𝑣𝑣1
Curl 𝑣𝑣 = � 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕3 − � 𝑖𝑖 + � 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕1 − � 𝑗𝑗 + � 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕2 − � 𝑘𝑘
𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕

Curl 𝑣𝑣 can also be written in terms of the gradient operator as

𝑖𝑖 𝑗𝑗 𝑘𝑘
𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕
Curl 𝑣𝑣 = ∇ × 𝑣𝑣 = � �.
𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕
𝑣𝑣1 𝑣𝑣2 𝑣𝑣3

43.2.1 Example

Find the curl of the vector field 𝑣𝑣 = (𝑥𝑥 2 𝑦𝑦 2 − 𝑧𝑧 3 )𝑖𝑖 + 2𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥 + 𝑒𝑒 𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥 𝑘𝑘

Solution
 Divergence and Curl

𝑖𝑖 𝑗𝑗 𝑘𝑘
𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕
Curl 𝑣𝑣 = � 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕
�
𝑥𝑥 𝑦𝑦 − 𝑧𝑧 3
2 2
2𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥 𝑒𝑒 𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥

= 𝑖𝑖(𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑒𝑒 𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥 − 2𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥) − 𝑗𝑗(𝑦𝑦𝑦𝑦𝑒𝑒 𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥 − 3𝑧𝑧 2 ) + 𝑘𝑘(2𝑦𝑦𝑦𝑦 − 2𝑥𝑥 2 𝑦𝑦)

43.2.2 Curl of Gradient

Let 𝑓𝑓 be a differentiable vector field. Then

Curl(grad𝑓𝑓)=0 or ∇ × ∇𝑓𝑓 = 0

Proof : From the definition, we have

𝑖𝑖 𝑗𝑗 𝑘𝑘
𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕
∇ × ∇𝑓𝑓 = ��𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 ��
𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕
𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕

𝜕𝜕 2 𝑓𝑓 𝜕𝜕 2 𝑓𝑓 𝜕𝜕 2 𝑓𝑓 𝜕𝜕 2 𝑓𝑓 𝜕𝜕 2 𝑓𝑓 𝜕𝜕 2 𝑓𝑓
= 𝑖𝑖 � − � + 𝑗𝑗 � − � + 𝑘𝑘 � − �=0
𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕

43.2.3 Divergence of Curl

Let 𝑣𝑣 be a differentiable vector field. Then

div(curl 𝑣𝑣)=0 or ∇. (∇ × 𝑣𝑣) = 0

proof. Form the definition, we have for 𝑣𝑣 = 𝑣𝑣1 𝑖𝑖 + 𝑣𝑣2 𝑗𝑗 + 𝑣𝑣3 𝑘𝑘

𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝑣𝑣 𝜕𝜕𝑣𝑣2 𝜕𝜕𝑣𝑣 𝜕𝜕𝑣𝑣3 𝜕𝜕𝑣𝑣 𝜕𝜕𝑣𝑣1
∇. (∇ × 𝑓𝑓) = �𝑖𝑖 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 + 𝑗𝑗 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 + 𝑘𝑘 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 � . �� 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕3 − � 𝑖𝑖 + � 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕1 − � 𝑗𝑗 + � 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕2 − � 𝑘𝑘�
𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕

𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝑣𝑣3 𝜕𝜕𝑣𝑣2 𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝑣𝑣1 𝜕𝜕𝑣𝑣3 𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝑣𝑣2 𝜕𝜕𝑣𝑣1

� − �+ � − �+ � − �=0
𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕

43.2.4 Example

Prove that div(𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓)= 𝑓𝑓 (div 𝑣𝑣)+grad(𝑓𝑓). 𝑣𝑣, where 𝑓𝑓 is scalar function

Solution
𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕
∇. (𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓) = �𝑖𝑖 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 + 𝑗𝑗 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 + 𝑘𝑘 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 � . (𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓1 𝑖𝑖 + 𝑓𝑓𝑣𝑣2 𝑗𝑗 + 𝑓𝑓𝑣𝑣3 𝑘𝑘) = 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 (𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓1 ) + 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 (𝑓𝑓𝑣𝑣2 ) + 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 (𝑓𝑓𝑣𝑣3 )

2
 Divergence and Curl

𝜕𝜕𝑣𝑣 𝜕𝜕𝑣𝑣2 𝜕𝜕𝑣𝑣3 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕

= 𝑓𝑓 � 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕1 + + � + (𝑣𝑣1 𝑖𝑖 + 𝑣𝑣2 𝑗𝑗 + 𝑣𝑣3 𝑘𝑘). �𝑖𝑖 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 + 𝑗𝑗 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 + 𝑘𝑘 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 �
𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕

= 𝑓𝑓(∇. 𝑣𝑣) + 𝑣𝑣. (∇𝑓𝑓) = 𝑓𝑓(∇. 𝑣𝑣) + ∇𝑓𝑓. 𝑣𝑣

43.2.5 Example

If 𝒓𝒓 = 𝑥𝑥𝑥𝑥 + 𝑦𝑦𝑦𝑦 + 𝑧𝑧𝑧𝑧, |𝒓𝒓| = 𝑟𝑟, show that div (𝒓𝒓/𝑟𝑟 3 )=0

Solution
𝜕𝜕 𝑥𝑥
𝒓𝒓 𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕 𝑥𝑥 𝑦𝑦 𝑧𝑧 � �
∆. �𝑟𝑟 3 � = �𝑖𝑖 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 + 𝑗𝑗 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 + 𝑘𝑘 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 � . �𝑖𝑖 𝑟𝑟 3 + 𝑗𝑗 𝑟𝑟 3 + 𝑘𝑘 𝑟𝑟 3 � = ∑ 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝑟𝑟 3

3 3 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕

= − �𝒙𝒙 + 𝒚𝒚 + 𝒛𝒛 �
𝑟𝑟 3 𝑟𝑟 4 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕

Since 𝑟𝑟 2 = 𝑥𝑥 2 +𝑦𝑦 2 + 𝑧𝑧 2
𝒓𝒓 3 3
Therefore, ∆. �𝑟𝑟 3 � = 𝑟𝑟 3 − 𝑟𝑟 3 = 𝟎𝟎

43.2.6 Example

Prove the following identities

(i) curl (𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓) =(grad𝑓𝑓)× 𝑣𝑣 + 𝑓𝑓curl 𝑣𝑣

𝜕𝜕 2 𝜕𝜕 2 𝜕𝜕 2
(ii) div(grad 𝑓𝑓)=∇2 𝑓𝑓 where ∇2 = 𝜕𝜕𝑥𝑥 2 + 𝜕𝜕𝑦𝑦 2 + 𝜕𝜕𝑧𝑧 2 is the Laplacian operator

(iii) curl(curl𝑣𝑣)= ∇(∇. 𝑣𝑣) − ∇2 𝑣𝑣 or grad(div 𝑣𝑣) = ∇ × (∇ × 𝑣𝑣) + ∇2 𝑣𝑣.

where 𝑓𝑓 is a scalar function.

Solution
𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕
(i) curl (𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓) = ∇ × (𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓) = ∇ × (𝑓𝑓𝑓𝑓1 𝑖𝑖 + 𝑓𝑓𝑣𝑣2 𝑗𝑗 + 𝑓𝑓𝑣𝑣3 𝑘𝑘) = ∑[𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 (𝑓𝑓𝑣𝑣3 ) − 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 (𝑓𝑓𝑣𝑣2 )]

𝜕𝜕𝑣𝑣 𝜕𝜕𝑣𝑣2 𝜕𝜕𝑣𝑣 𝜕𝜕𝑣𝑣3 𝜕𝜕𝑣𝑣 𝜕𝜕𝑣𝑣1 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕

= 𝑓𝑓 �� 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕3 − � 𝑖𝑖 + � 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕1 − � 𝑗𝑗 + � 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕2 − � 𝑘𝑘� + [�𝑣𝑣3 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 − 𝑣𝑣2 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 � 𝑖𝑖 +
𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕
𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕
�𝑣𝑣1 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 − 𝑣𝑣3 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 � 𝑗𝑗 + �𝑣𝑣2 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 − 𝑣𝑣1 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 � 𝑘𝑘]

𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕
= 𝑓𝑓(curl 𝑣𝑣) + �𝑖𝑖 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 + 𝑗𝑗 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 + 𝑘𝑘 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 � × (𝑣𝑣1 𝑖𝑖 + 𝑣𝑣2 𝑗𝑗 + 𝑣𝑣3 𝑘𝑘)

= 𝑓𝑓(curl 𝑣𝑣) + (grad 𝑓𝑓)× 𝑣𝑣

3
 Divergence and Curl

𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕 2 𝑓𝑓 𝜕𝜕 2 𝑓𝑓 𝜕𝜕 2 𝑓𝑓

(ii) div(grad 𝑓𝑓)= �𝑖𝑖 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 + 𝑗𝑗 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 + 𝑘𝑘 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 � . �𝑖𝑖 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 + 𝑗𝑗 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 + 𝑘𝑘 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 � = �𝜕𝜕𝑥𝑥 2 + 𝜕𝜕𝑦𝑦 2 + 𝜕𝜕𝑧𝑧 2 � = ∇2 𝑓𝑓

𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝑣𝑣 𝜕𝜕𝑣𝑣2
(iii) grad(div 𝑣𝑣)= ∇ × (∇ × 𝑣𝑣) = �∑ 𝑖𝑖 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 � × �∑ 𝑖𝑖 � 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕3 − ��
𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕

𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝑣𝑣2 𝜕𝜕𝑣𝑣1 𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝑣𝑣1 𝜕𝜕𝑣𝑣3

= � 𝑖𝑖 � � − �− � − ��
𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕

𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝑣𝑣 𝜕𝜕𝑣𝑣2 𝜕𝜕𝑣𝑣3 𝜕𝜕 2 𝑣𝑣 𝜕𝜕 2 𝑣𝑣1 𝜕𝜕 2 𝑣𝑣1

= ∑ 𝑖𝑖 �𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 � 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕1 + + � − � 𝜕𝜕𝑥𝑥 21 + + ��
𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕𝑦𝑦 2 𝜕𝜕𝑧𝑧 2

𝜕𝜕 𝜕𝜕 2 𝜕𝜕 2 𝜕𝜕 2
= �∑ 𝑖𝑖 𝜕𝜕𝜕𝜕 � (∇. 𝑣𝑣) − �𝜕𝜕𝑥𝑥 2 + 𝜕𝜕𝑦𝑦 2 + 𝜕𝜕𝑧𝑧 2 � (∑ 𝑖𝑖𝑣𝑣1 )

= ∇(∇. 𝑣𝑣) − ∇2 𝑣𝑣

Suggested Readings

Courant, R. and John, F. (1989), Introduction to Calculus and Analysis, Vol. II, Springer-Verlag,
New York.

Jain, R.K. and Iyengar, S.R.K. (2002) Advanced Engineering Mathematics, Narosa Publishing
House, New Delhi.

Jordan, D.W. and Smith, P. (2002) Mathematical Techniques, Oxford University Press, Oxford.

Kreyszig, E. (1999) Advanced Engineering Mathematics, John Wiley, New York.

Piskunov, N. (1974) Differentail and Integral Calculus, Vol. II, MIR Publishers, Moscow.

Wylie, C. R. and Barrett, L.C. (2003) Advanced Engineering Mathematics, Tata McGraw-Hill,
New Delhi.