Chapter 13
VECTOR ANALYSIS
13.2 LINE INTEGRALS
IN THIS SECTION, YOU’LL LEARN
Line integrals of a scalar
Line integrals of a vector field
LINE INTEGRALS OF A SCALAR
INTERPRETATION OF LINE INTEGRALS
You can think of the result of a line integral of a function f(x,y,z) over
a curve C as the area of a fence built on a curve C. The height of the
fence varies and is given by the function f(x,y,z).
f(x,y,z)
Curve C
If C is a wire (not homogeneous) and f(x,y,z) is the density of the wire
at (x,y,z) then f ( x, y, z )ds gives us the mass of the wire C.
C
When f(x,y,z)=1, then ds is the length of C.
C
FORMULA FOR LINE INTEGRALS
For functions of three variables
For functions of two variables
Notice: The curve C is only traced out once on the interval [a,b].
Recall that the arc length is
b b
l ds r '(t ) dt x '(t )2 y '(t )2 z '(t )2 dt
C a a
Example:
Solution:
Apply the definition of line integrals
(sin t ) sin t 2 cos t dt
2 2 2 2 2
x zds (cos t )
C 0
Let u=cost
5 (cos t )2 (sin t )dt then du=-sint dt
0
5 u 2 du
u3 (cos t )3 2 5
5 5 0
3 3 3
Example: Evaluate the line integral (2 xy 3 )ds along the cirle
C
x 2 y 2 4 in the first quadrant.
Solution:
The cirle x 2 y 2 4 in the first quadrant can be
parameterized as x 2cos t , y 2sin t , t 0, .
2
Apply the definition of line integrals
2xy ds 2(2cos t )(2sin t ) 2sin t 2cos t dt
3 3 2 2
C 0 /2
64 cos t (sin t )3 dt
0
Let u=sint
then du=cost dt
64 u 3du
/2
16u 4 16(sin t )4 0 16
DIY: Evaluate the line integral
LINE INTEGRAL OF A VECTOR FIELD
If work is done by a constant force F along a line, 𝑊 = 𝐹𝑑.
If work is done along a curve and the force F varies, we must
divide the curve into smaller parts and find the work done on
each part. F( Pk* )
Partition C with points 𝑃0 , 𝑃1 , … , 𝑃𝑛 . On the sub-arc 𝑃𝑘−1 𝑃𝑘 take a
representative point 𝑃𝑘∗ . The work done on the sub-arc 𝑃𝑘−1 𝑃𝑘 is
Pk
Wk F ( P ) Tk sk
* Pk*
k
Take the sum of the work done on all the sub-arcs and then take the
limit as n tends to infinity, it yields the LINE INTEGRAL Tds
n n
W lim Wk lim F( Pk* ) Tk sk F Tds Pk 1
n n
k 1 k 1 C
Assume that C is parameterized by R(t) and the object moves in the
direction of increasing t. Then
R '(t )
T , ds R '(t ) dt , so Tds R '(t )dt
R '(t )
Thus, the work is also given by the line integral
W F Tds F R '(t )dt F dR
C C C
Example:
Solution:
By the definition of line integral of a vector field,
b
F dR F( x(t ), y(t ), z(t )) R '(t )dt
C a
1
(2t )2 t 2 ,2(2t )t , (t 2 ) 2 2t ,2,1 dt
0
1
(6t 3 8t 2 t 4 )dt
0
t4 t3 t5 119
6 8 1
0
4 3 5 30
Example:
Determine the work done by the force field F( x, y) y, x
along y x 2 2 from (0,-2) to (2,2).
Solution:
The given curve can be parameterized as
x t , y t 2 2, t [0,2]
The work done by the force F along C is given by
b 2
W F dR 2, t 1,2t dt
2
F ( x (t ), y (t ), z (t )) R '(t ) dt t
C a 0
2
(2 t 2 2 t 2 )dt
0
t3 20
2t 2
0
3 3
DIY:
Determine the work done by the force field F( x, y) xy 2 , x 2
along C, where C is the path in the figure.
DIFFERENTIAL FORM OF LINE INTEGRALS
Line integrals can be written in DIFFERENTIAL FORM. Suppose
F(R(t )) P, Q, R , then
b b
F dR F(R(t )) R '(t )dt
C a a
P, Q, R x '(t ), y '(t ), z '(t ) dt
b
Px '(t ) Qy '(t ) Rz '(t ) dt
a
b
( Pdx Qdy Rdz )
a
Example:
Evaluate the line integral ydx z 2 dy xdz along the curve
C
R(t ) 2t , t 2 , t in the interval 0 t 4.
Solution:
This is a line integral in differential form. So,
b
y '(t ) xz '(t ) dt
2 2
ydx z dy xdz = yx '(t ) z
C a
t (2tdt ) 2t 2
4
2 1
t (2dt )
2
dt
0 t
4
(2t 2 2t 2 t )dt
0
t 3 2 3/2 272
4 t 4
0
3 3 3
NOW, YOU’VE LEARNT
Line integrals of a scalar
Line integrals of a vector field
QUESTIONS?