Vector Calculus

16 Vector Calculus
Copyright © Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

16.5 Curl and Divergence
Copyright © Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Curl
3
Curl
If F = P i + Q j + R k is a vector field on and the partial
derivatives of P, Q, and R all exist, then the curl of F is the
vector field on defined by
Let’s rewrite Equation 1 using operator notation. We

introduce the vector differential operator  (“del”) as
4
Curl
It has meaning when it operates on a scalar function to
produce the gradient of f :
If we think of  as a vector with components ∂/∂x, ∂/∂y, and

∂/∂z, we can also consider the formal cross product of 
with the vector field F as follows:
5
Curl
So the easiest way to remember Definition 1 is by means of

the symbolic expression
6
Example 1
If F(x, y, z) = xz i + xyz j – y2 k, find curl F.
Solution:
Using Equation 2, we have
7
Example 1 – Solution cont’d
8
Curl
Recall that the gradient of a function f of three variables is a
vector field on and so we can compute its curl.
The following theorem says that the curl of a gradient

vector field is 0.
9
Curl
Since a conservative vector field is one for which F = f,
Theorem 3 can be rephrased as follows:
If F is conservative, then curl F = 0.
This gives us a way of verifying that a vector field is not

conservative.
10
Curl
The converse of Theorem 3 is not true in general, but the
following theorem says the converse is true if F is defined
everywhere. (More generally it is true if the domain is
simply-connected, that is, “has no hole.”)
11
Curl
The reason for the name curl is that the curl vector is
associated with rotations.
Another occurs when F represents the velocity field in fluid
flow. Particles near (x, y, z) in the fluid tend to rotate about
the axis that points in the direction of curl F(x, y, z), and the
length of this curl vector is a measure of how quickly the
particles move around the axis (see Figure 1).
Figure 1 12
Curl
If curl F = 0 at a point P, then the fluid is free from rotations
at P and F is called irrotational at P.
In other words, there is no whirlpool or eddy at P.
If curl F = 0, then a tiny paddle wheel moves with the fluid

but doesn’t rotate about its axis.
If curl F ≠ 0, the paddle wheel rotates about its axis.
13
Divergence
14
Divergence
If F = P i + Q j + R k is a vector field on and ∂P/∂x,
∂Q/∂y, and ∂R/∂z exist, then the divergence of F is the
function of three variables defined by
Observe that curl F is a vector field but div F is a scalar

field.
15
Divergence
In terms of the gradient operator
 = (∂/∂x) i + (∂/∂y) j + (∂/∂z) k, the divergence of F can be
written symbolically as the dot product of  and F:
16
Example 4
If F(x, y, z) = xz i + xyz j + y2 k, find div F.
Solution:
By the definition of divergence (Equation 9 or 10) we have
div F =   F
= z + xz
17
Divergence
If F is a vector field on , then curl F is also a vector field
on . As such, we can compute its divergence.
The next theorem shows that the result is 0.
Again, the reason for the name divergence can be

understood in the context of fluid flow.
18
Divergence
If F(x, y, z) is the velocity of a fluid (or gas), then
div F(x, y, z) represents the net rate of change (with
respect to time) of the mass of fluid (or gas) flowing from
the point (x, y, z) per unit volume.
In other words, div F(x, y, z) measures the tendency of the

fluid to diverge from the point (x, y, z).
If div F = 0, then F is said to be incompressible.
Another differential operator occurs when we compute the

divergence of a gradient vector field f.
19
Divergence
If f is a function of three variables, we have
and this expression occurs so often that we abbreviate it as

2f. The operator
2 =   
is called the Laplace operator because of its relation to
Laplace’s equation
20
Divergence
We can also apply the Laplace operator 2 to a vector field
F=Pi+Qj+Rk
in terms of its components:
2F = 2P i + 2Q j + 2R k
21
Vector Forms of Green’s Theorem
22
The curl and divergence operators allow us to rewrite
Green’s Theorem in versions that will be useful in our later
work.
We suppose that the plane region D, its boundary curve C,

and the functions P and Q satisfy the hypotheses of
Green’s Theorem.
Then we consider the vector field F = P i + Q j.
23
Its line integral is
and, regarding F as a vector field on with third

component 0, we have
24
Therefore
and we can now rewrite the equation in Green’s Theorem

in the vector form
25
Equation 12 expresses the line integral of the tangential
component of F along C as the double integral of the
vertical component of curl F over the region D enclosed by
C. We now derive a similar formula involving the normal
component of F.
If C is given by the vector equation

r(t) = x(t) i + y(t) j atb
then the unit tangent vector is
26
You can verify that the outward unit normal vector to C is
given by
(See Figure 2.)
Figure 2
27
Then, from equation
we have
by Green’s Theorem. 28
But the integrand in this double integral is just the
divergence of F. So we have a second vector form of
Green’s Theorem.
This version says that the line integral of the normal

component of F along C is equal to the double integral of
the divergence of F over the region D enclosed by C.
29

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16 Vector Calculus

Copyright © Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Copyright © Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Let’s rewrite Equation 1 using operator notation. We

If we think of  as a vector with components ∂/∂x, ∂/∂y, and

So the easiest way to remember Definition 1 is by means of

The following theorem says that the curl of a gradient

If F is conservative, then curl F = 0.

This gives us a way of verifying that a vector field is not

In other words, there is no whirlpool or eddy at P.

If curl F = 0, then a tiny paddle wheel moves with the fluid

If curl F ≠ 0, the paddle wheel rotates about its axis.

Observe that curl F is a vector field but div F is a scalar

The next theorem shows that the result is 0.

Again, the reason for the name divergence can be

In other words, div F(x, y, z) measures the tendency of the

If div F = 0, then F is said to be incompressible.

Another differential operator occurs when we compute the

and this expression occurs so often that we abbreviate it as

in terms of its components:

2F = 2P i + 2Q j + 2R k

We suppose that the plane region D, its boundary curve C,

Then we consider the vector field F = P i + Q j.

and, regarding F as a vector field on with third

and we can now rewrite the equation in Green’s Theorem

If C is given by the vector equation

(See Figure 2.)

This version says that the line integral of the normal

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