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Module 5 Learning Notes

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samwel kiwale

The document defines gradient, divergence, and curl of vector fields. The gradient of a scalar field is a vector field that represents the maximum rate of change. Divergence of a vector field is a scalar representing its source/sink at a point. A vector field is solenoidal if its divergence is zero. Curl represents the circulation of a vector field per unit length. A vector field is irrotational if its curl is zero. Several examples are provided to demonstrate calculating gradient, divergence, and curl of different vector fields at given points.

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Module 5 Learning Notes

Uploaded by

samwel kiwale
114 views5 pages
The document defines gradient, divergence, and curl of vector fields. The gradient of a scalar field is a vector field that represents the maximum rate of change. Divergence of a vector field is a scalar representing its source/sink at a point. A vector field is solenoidal if its divergence is zero. Curl represents the circulation of a vector field per unit length. A vector field is irrotational if its curl is zero. Several examples are provided to demonstrate calculating gradient, divergence, and curl of different vector fields at given points.

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The document defines gradient, divergence, and curl of vector fields. The gradient of a scalar field is a vector field that represents the maximum rate of change. Divergence of a vector field is a scalar representing its source/sink at a point. A vector field is solenoidal if its divergence is zero. Curl represents the circulation of a vector field per unit length. A vector field is irrotational if its curl is zero. Several examples are provided to demonstrate calculating gradient, divergence, and curl of different vector fields at given points.

Copyright:

© All Rights Reserved
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
Download as docx, pdf, or txt
114 views5 pages

Module 5 Learning Notes

Uploaded by

samwel kiwale
The document defines gradient, divergence, and curl of vector fields. The gradient of a scalar field is a vector field that represents the maximum rate of change. Divergence of a vector field is a scalar representing its source/sink at a point. A vector field is solenoidal if its divergence is zero. Curl represents the circulation of a vector field per unit length. A vector field is irrotational if its curl is zero. Several examples are provided to demonstrate calculating gradient, divergence, and curl of different vector fields at given points.

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© All Rights Reserved
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5.

GRADIENT, DIVERGENCE AND CURL


5.1 Gradient

Definition: The gradient of a given scalar field f ( x, y, z ) is a vector field


denoted by grad f or f given by

 f f f  f f ˆ f ˆ
f   , ,   iˆ  j k
 x y z  x y z
This implies that if we have a point in the space ( x0 , y0 , z0 ) then

f f f
f ( x0 , y0 , z0 )   x0 , y0 , z0  iˆ   x0 , y0 , z0  ˆj   x0 , y0 , z0  kˆ
x y z

Where  is called linear operator

Example 01

If  ( x, y, z)  3x2 y  y3 z 2 find  at point 1, 2, 1

Solution:

 f f ˆ f ˆ 
   iˆ  j  k   3x 2 y  y 3 z 2 
 x y z 

  

x
 3x 2 y  y 3 z 2  iˆ   3x 2 y  y 3 z 2  ˆj   3x 2 y  y 3 z 2  kˆ
y z

 6 xyiˆ   3x 2  3 y 2 z 2  ˆj  2 y 3 zkˆ

At point 1, 2, 1 we get

  12iˆ  9 ˆj  16kˆ

Notes By JD Madasi
5.2 Divergence

Definition: The divergence of a vector field F   F1, F2 , F3  is a scalar field


divF and denoted by  F defined as

F F F
 F   
x y z

Example 02
2 ˆ 3 2ˆ 2 ˆ
If A  x zi  2 y z j  xy zk find  F at point (1, 1,1)

Solution:

From
F F F
 F   
x y z , A  x 2 ziˆ  2 y 3 z 2 ˆj  xy 2 zkˆ we have

 2  
 A 
x
 x z    2 y 3 z 2    xy 2 z 
y z
 2 xz  6 y 2 z 2  xy 2

At point 1, 1,1 we get

 A  3

5.2.1 Solenoid

Definition: A vector V is called solenoidal if its divergence is zero i.e


 A  0

Notes By JD Madasi
Example 03

Determine a constant a so that the vector v   x  3  iˆ    2 z  ˆj   x  az 


is a solenoidal

Solution:

We need to find the value of a so that  v  0

Here we have
  
v   x  3    y  2 z    x  az   2  a  0
x y x
We thus get
a  2
5.3 Curl

Definition: The curl of a vector field F denoted by is defined as

iˆ ˆj kˆ
    F3 F2  ˆ  F1 F3  ˆ  F2 F1  ˆ
CurlF    F    i     j  k
x x x  y z   z x   x y 
F1 F2 F3

Example 04
3ˆ ˆ 4ˆ
If A  xz i  2 x yzj  2 yz k find   A at point (1, 1,1)
2

Solution:

Notes By JD Madasi
iˆ ˆj kˆ
    F3 F2  ˆ  F1 F3  ˆ  F2 F1  ˆ
CurlF    F    i     j  k
x x x  y z   z x   x y 
F1 F2 F3
,

we have

iˆ ˆj kˆ
  
CurlF    A 
x x x
xz 3 2 x yz 2 yz 4
2

  2 z 4  2 x 2 y  iˆ  3xz 2 ˆj  4 xyzkˆ

Hence
  A   2 z 4  2 x 2 y  iˆ  3xz 2 ˆj  4 xyzkˆ
5.3.1 Irrotational vector field

Definition: A vector field is said to be irrotational if its curl is zero

i.e   F  0

Example 05

Find the constants a, b, c so that

v   x  2  a  z  iˆ   bx  3  z  ˆj   4 x  c  2 z  is irrotational

Solution:

The vector field v is irrotational, we thus have   v  0

Notes By JD Madasi
iˆ ˆj kˆ
  
v  0
x y z
x  2  az bx  3  z 4 x  c  2 z

  c  1 iˆ   a  4  ˆj   b  2  kˆ  0

Thus, a  4, b  2, c  1

Exercise 5
1. Show that if  ( x, y, z ) is any solution of Laplace equation, then 
is a vector which is both solenoidal and irrotational
2. If A is a constant vector, prove that (r  A)  A

Notes By JD Madasi

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