University of Aberdeen Department of Mathematical Sciences

Author Date Code

AP 8.11.04
mth20

EG3006/ES3006: NOTES ON DIV, GRAD, CURL

The operators div, grad and curl are the basic operators of mathematical physics and hence are of fundamental importance in engineering. The physical signicance of the gradient was explained in the lectures. At each point the gradient of a scalar eld is the vector whose direction is the direction of greatest increase of the eld at the point and whose magnitude equals the maximum rate of increase (per unit length) at the point. Since the direction and magnitude are properties of the eld, our denition of gradient does not depend on our choice of axes. The divergence and curl of a vector eld give signicant properties of a vector eld but they are not as easy to explain. To get some feeling as to what these operators tell us about a eld we give an explanation in terms of uid mechanics. Let v be the velocity eld of a uid, so that v(r) is the velocity of the particle of the uid at the point with position vector r (for simplicilty we assume a steady state ow which means that v is independent of time t). Consider an inntescimally small drop of the uid. At each instant the drop will occupy a region of space, as time varies the region varies and we can consider the volume of the region (which will depend on time). We can also consider the angular velocity of the drop.

It turns out that div v(r) =rate of change of volume per unit volume of a small drop at the point with position vector r. and curl v(r) =twice the (instantaneous) angular velocity of a small drop at the point with position vector r. (recall the angular velocity is a vector whose magnitude equals the angular speed and whose direction is the same as the axis of rotation as indicated in the diagram). [Thus if a uid is incompressible then the divergence is zero at all points. To say that the ow is irrotational means that the curl is zero at all points.] Since the quatities described above relate to intrinsic properties of the eld, the divergence and curl do not depend onour choice of axes. The operators div, grad and curl are essentially the only rst order partial dierential operators which are invariant under changes of Cartesian coordinates. [See Kreyszigs book for further information.]