Vector Calculus: Example Sheet 1

Part IA, Lent Term 2026

Dr R. E. Hunt

Comments on or corrections to this example sheet are very welcome and may be sent to reh10@[Link].
Starred questions are useful, but optional: they should not be attempted at the expense of other questions.

Vector Differential Operators

1. Obtain the equation of the plane that is tangent to the surface 𝑧 = 3𝑥 2 𝑦 sin( 12 𝜋𝑥) at the point
𝑥 = 𝑦 = 1.
Take East to be in the direction (1, 0, 0) and North to be (0, 1, 0). In which direction will a marble
roll if placed on the surface at 𝑥 = 1, 𝑦 = 21 ?

2. (i) Let 𝜙(x) be a scalar field and v(x) a vector field. Show, using suffix notation, that

∇ . (𝜙v) = ∇𝜙 . v + 𝜙∇ . v, ∇ × (𝜙v) = ∇𝜙 × v + 𝜙∇ × v.

(ii) Evaluate the divergence and curl of each of the following:

x−a
𝑟x, (a . x)b, a × x, ,
|x − a|3

where 𝑟 = |x| and a, b are constant vectors.

(iii) The vector field B(x) is everywhere parallel to the normals of a family of surfaces 𝑓 (x) =
constant. Show that B . (∇ × B) = 0.
(iv) The vector fields F and G are everywhere parallel, non-zero and solenoidal. Show that
F . ∇(𝐹/𝐺) = 0, where 𝐹 = |F| and 𝐺 = |G|.

3. Use suffix notation to show that for vector fields u(x) and v(x),

∇ × (u × v) = (∇ . v)u − (∇ . u)v + (v . ∇)u − (u . ∇)v

and
(u . ∇)u = ∇( 12 |u|2 ) − u × (∇ × u).

4. Verify directly that the vector field

u(x) = 𝑒 𝑥 (𝑥 cos 𝑦 + cos 𝑦 − 𝑦 sin 𝑦), 𝑒 𝑥 (−𝑥 sin 𝑦 − sin 𝑦 − 𝑦 cos 𝑦), 0

is irrotational and express it as the gradient of a scalar field 𝜙. Check also that u is solenoidal
and show that it can be written as the curl of a vector field v = (0, 0, 𝜓) for some function 𝜓.

∗ 5. Let 𝑓 : R3 → R be a homogeneous function of degree 𝑛, i.e., 𝑓 (𝑘x) = 𝑘 𝑛 𝑓 (x) for all 𝑘 ∈ R. By

differentiating with respect to 𝑘, or otherwise, show that x . ∇𝑓 = 𝑛𝑓.

∗ 6. Suppose that F : R3 → R3 is a solenoidal vector field. Show that F = ∇ × A where

∫ 1
A(x) = F(𝑡x) × (𝑡x) d𝑡.
0

This is an example of a homotopy formula, in this case for finding a vector potential for a given
solenoidal field. What goes wrong if the domain of definition of F in R3 contains a hole of some
kind?
 Orthogonal Curvilinear Coordinates
7. The vector field A(x) is, in Cartesian, cylindrical and spherical polar coordinates respectively,

A(x) = − 21 𝑦e𝑥 + 12 𝑥e𝑦 = 12 𝜌e𝜙 = 12 𝑟 sin 𝜃 e𝜙

(where e𝜙 has two different meanings). Compute ∇ × A in each coordinate system and check
that your answers agree.

8. If a is a constant vector and 𝑟 = |x|, verify that ∇𝑟 𝑛 = 𝑛𝑟 𝑛−2 x using (i) Cartesian coordinates and
suffix notation, (ii) Taylor’s theorem in the form d𝑓 = ∇𝑓 . dx, (iii) cylindrical polar coordinates,
(iv) spherical polar coordinates. Verify also that ∇(a . x) = a using methods (i) and (ii).
∗ Furthermore, verify that ∇(a . x) = a using methods (iii) and (iv). [Hint: you will need to be careful
about the components of a with respect to the relevant bases, which are not constant.]

9. (i) Use the Chain Rule to express 𝜕 𝑓 /𝜕 𝑥 in terms of 𝜕 𝑓 /𝜕 𝜌 and 𝜕 𝑓 /𝜕 𝜙 for a function 𝑓 (𝜌, 𝜙, 𝑧)
with respect to cylindrical polar coordinates. Combine this with similar calculations and
with expressions for the basis vectors e𝜌 , e𝜙 and e𝑧 to show that

𝜕𝑓 1 𝜕𝑓 𝜕𝑓
∇𝑓 = e𝜌 + e𝜙 + e𝑧 .
𝜕𝜌 𝜌 𝜕𝜙 𝜕𝑧
(ii) We deduce from this result that
𝜕 1 𝜕 𝜕
∇ = e𝜌 + e𝜙 + e𝑧
𝜕𝜌 𝜌 𝜕𝜙 𝜕𝑧
and we also know that 𝜕 e𝜌 /𝜕 𝜙 = e𝜙 , 𝜕 e𝜙 /𝜕 𝜙 = −e𝜌 , while all other derivatives of the basis
vectors are zero. Derive an expression for ∇ . A where A(x) is an arbitrary vector field given
in cylindrical polars by A = 𝐴𝜌 e𝜌 + 𝐴 𝜙 e𝜙 + 𝐴 𝑧 e𝑧 .
∗ Also derive expressions for ∇ × A and for the Laplacian ∇2𝑓 of a scalar function 𝑓 (𝜌, 𝜙, 𝑧).

Differential Geometry of Curves

10. Sketch the astroid curve in the plane given parametrically by x(𝑡) = (𝑎 cos3 𝑡, 𝑎 sin3 𝑡), 0 ⩽ 𝑡 ⩽ 2𝜋.
Calculate x¤ (𝑡) at each point and hence find the curve’s total length.

11. A circular helix is given by

x(𝑡) = (𝑎 cos 𝑡, 𝑎 sin 𝑡, 𝑐𝑡), 𝑡∈R

where 𝑎, 𝑐 are constants. Calculate the tangent t, curvature 𝜅, principal normal n and binormal b,
and show that the torsion is 𝜏 = 𝑐/(𝑎 2 + 𝑐 2 ). Give a sketch of the curve indicating the directions
of the vectors {t, n, b}.

12. Show that a planar curve x(𝑡) = 𝑥(𝑡), 𝑦(𝑡), 0 has curvature

|𝑥¤ 𝑦¥ − 𝑦¤ 𝑥|
¥
𝜅(𝑡) = .
( 𝑥¤ 2 + 𝑦¤ 2 )3⁄2

Use this result to find the minimum and maximum values of the curvature on the ellipse
𝑥 2/𝑎 2 + 𝑦 2/𝑏 2 = 1, and comment on the case 𝑎 = 𝑏.

∗ 13. The tangent vector at each point on a curve is parallel to a non-vanishing vector field H(x). Show
that the curvature of the curve is given by 𝜅 = |H × (H . ∇)H|/|H|3 .