LECTURE TEN
December 12, 2022
Overview
Vector Differential Calculus
Directional Derivative
Divergence and Curl
Directional Derivative
I The rate at which f changes with respect
to t along a differentiable curve
x = g (t ), y = h(t ) is
df ∂ f dx ∂ f dy
= +
dt ∂ x dt ∂ y dt
I At any point
P0(x0, y0) = P0(g (t0), h(t0)), this
equation gives the rate of change of f
with respect to increasing t and therefore
depends among other things, on the
direction of motion along the curve.
Directional Derivative cont. . .
I This observation is particulary important
when the curve is a straight line and t is
the arc length parameter along the line
from P0 in the direction of a given unit
vector u .
I df
dt is the rate of change of f with respect
to distance in its domain in the direction
of u .
I By varying u , we find the rate at which f
changes with respect to distance as we
move through P0 in different directions.
Directional Derivative cont. . .
I These directional derivatives have useful
interpretations in science and engineering
as well as in mathematics.
Directional Derivative cont. . .
Directional Derivative cont. . .
Directional Derivative cont. . .
Directional Derivative cont. . .
I The directional derivatives is also denoted
by
(Du f )P0
which represent ’the derivative of f at P0
in the direction of u ’
I Example: Find the derivative of
f (x , y ) = x 2 + xy
at P0(1, 2) in the
√ direction√of the unit
vector u = (1/ 2)i + (1/ 2)j .
Directional Derivative cont. . .
Directional Derivative cont. . .
Directional Derivative cont. . .
Directional Derivative cont. . .
Directional Derivative cont. . .
Directional Derivative cont. . .
Directional Derivative cont. . .
Directional Derivative cont. . .
Divergence and Curl
I Consider a function f (x , y , z ) whose first
three partial derivatives are δδxf , δδyf and δδfz
I The Gradient is given by
grad f (x , y , z ) = ∇f (x , y , z )
∂f ∂f ∂f
= i+ j+ k
∂x ∂y ∂z
Divergence and Curl cont. . .
I The rate of change of the vector field
F (x , y , z ) = F1(x , y , z )i + F2(x , y , z )j + F3(x
is contained in nine first partial
derivatives, three for each of the three
components of the vector field F
Divergence and Curl cont. . .
∂ F1 ∂ F1 ∂ F1
∂x ∂y ∂z
∂ F2 δ F2 δ F2
δx δy δz
∂ F3 ∂ F3 ∂ F3
∂x ∂y ∂z
Divergence and Curl cont. . .
I From these we get two useful concepts,
divergence of F (div F ) and curl of F
(curl F )
Divergence and Curl cont. . .
I From these we get two useful concepts
∂ F1 ∂ F2 ∂ F3
div(F) = ∇.F = + +
∂x ∂y ∂z
Divergence and Curl cont. . .
I
curl F = ∇ × F
i j k
∂ ∂ ∂
= ∂x ∂y ∂z
F1 F2 F3
Divergence and Curl cont. . .
Example
Find the divergence and curl of the vector
field
F = xyi + (y 2 − z 2)j + yzk
Divergence and Curl cont. . .
Divergence Interpretation
The value of divergence of a vector field F at
point P ia a measure of the rate at which
the field ”diverges” or ”spread away” from
point P
Divergence and Curl cont. . .
Curl Interpretation
Curl measures the extent to which the vector
field F swirls around point P
Divergence and Curl cont. . .
I The vector field F is called Solenoidal in
the domain D if div F= 0 in D
Divergence and Curl cont. . .
I The vector field F is called Irrotational
in the domain D if curl F= 0 in D
I Every conservative field is Irrotational