Scribd
Upload
5 views2 pages

Exercises on Tangent Vectors and Fields

The document is a set of exercises focused on tangent vectors and vector fields in differential geometry. It covers computations involving points in R3, natural coordinate functions, partial derivatives, and the differences between tangent vectors and vector fields. Additionally, it includes tasks related to vector fields, integral curves, smooth mappings, Jacobian matrices, and coordinate transformations.

Uploaded by

indusraxin
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
5 views2 pages

Exercises on Tangent Vectors and Fields

The document is a set of exercises focused on tangent vectors and vector fields in differential geometry. It covers computations involving points in R3, natural coordinate functions, partial derivatives, and the differences between tangent vectors and vector fields. Additionally, it includes tasks related to vector fields, integral curves, smooth mappings, Jacobian matrices, and coordinate transformations.

Uploaded by

indusraxin
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Exercises: Tangent Vectors and Vector Fields

Differential Geometry - First Course

1. Let p = (1, 2, −1) and q = (3, 0, 4) be points in R3 . Compute:

(a) p + q
(b) 2p − 3q

2. Define the natural coordinate functions x1 , x2 , x3 in R3 and evaluate them at p =


(5, −1, 3).

3. Let f (x, y, z) = x2 y + ez .

(a) State the class C r of f .


(b) Compute all first partial derivatives of f .

4. Explain in your own words the difference between:

(a) A tangent vector Xp at a point p ∈ Rn .


(b) A vector field X on Rn .

5. Given the point p = (2, −1) in R2 and the Euclidean vector v = (3, 4),

(a) Write the corresponding tangent vector Xp in operator form.


(b) Let f (x, y) = x2 − y 2 . Compute Xp (f ) using the directional derivative formula.
∂ ∂
6. Let X = x ∂x + y ∂y be a vector field in R2 , and let g(x, y) = x2 + y 2 , h(x, y) = xy.
Verify the linear derivation properties by computing:

(a) X(g + h)
(b) X(gh)
∂ ∂ ∂
7. Express the tangent vector Xp = 2 ∂x − 3 ∂y + 5 ∂z at p = (1, 0, −2) in terms of its
i
contravariant components v . Write it also in “arrow-vector” notation v.
∂ ∂
8. Find the integral curve α(t) of the vector field X = −y ∂x + x ∂y in R2 satisfying
α(0) = (1, 0). Hint: Write the corresponding system of ODEs from α′ (t) = Xα(t) .

9. Consider the map F : R2 → R2 given by F (x, y) = (x2 − y 2 , 2xy).

(a) Is F a smooth mapping? Why?

1
(b) Compute the Jacobian matrix DF at the point (1, 1).
∂ ∂
10. Let X = y ∂x −x ∂y be a vector field on R2 . For the function f (x, y) = x2 +y 2 , compute
X(f ) and interpret geometrically what the result tells you about f along the flow of
X.

11. Let Xp = v i (∂/∂xi )p be a tangent vector at p. Show directly from Definition 1.1.7 that

Xp (xj ) = v j .

Why does this justify calling the v j the contravariant components of Xp ?

12. Consider the coordinate transformation

x = u + v, y = u − v.

(a) Express ∂/∂u and ∂/∂v in terms of ∂/∂x and ∂/∂y.


(b) If X = ∂/∂u, compute X(x) and X(y).
(c) Interpret your result geometrically.

13. Let x(r, θ) = (r cos θ, r sin θ) define polar coordinates.

(a) Compute ∂/∂r and ∂/∂θ as vector fields in (x, y) coordinates.


(b) Evaluate (∂/∂θ)p (x) and (∂/∂θ)p (y).
(c) Explain why ∂/∂θ does not have unit length everywhere.

You might also like