Line Integrals of Vector Fields and Work

Mathematics 23: Elementary Analysis III

Institute of Mathematics
University of the Philippines-Diliman

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Work

Recall that the work done by a constant force F~ on an object moving

along a straight line is
~
W = F~ · d,
where d~ is the displacement of the object.

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Generalized Work Problem

Problem
Suppose that a force eld F~ = hP, Q, Ri acts on a particle moving
along a smooth curve C parametrized by R(t)
~ = hx(t), y(t), z(t)i,
t ∈ [a, b]. ?
How much work is done by F~ on the particle?

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The Method
Steps
Assume that P , Q, and R are functions of three variables x, y , and z
that are continuous on some region containing the curve C .

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The Method
Steps
1 Partition [a, b] into congruent subintervals with

a = t0 < t1 < . . . < tn = b. The points Pi = (x(ti ), y(ti ), z(ti ))

divide C into n subarcs.

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The Method
Steps
2 Approximate the ith subarc by the line segment Pi−1 Pi and
assume that the force exerted on this subarc is constant, say
F~ (x∗i , yi∗ , zi∗ ), where (x∗i , yi∗ , zi∗ ) is some point in the ith subarc.

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The Method
Steps
3 Using the formula for work exerted by a constant force along a

straight line, we see that the total work done is approximately

n
~ i , where dR
X
W ≈ F~ (x∗i , yi∗ , zi∗ ) · dR ~ i = R(t
~ i ) − R(t
~ i−1 ).
i=1

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The Method
Steps
4 Error vanishes as ∆t vanishes, i.e., as n tends to innity, and we

get the exact work

n
X
W = lim F~ (x∗i , yi∗ , zi∗ ) · dR
~ i.
n→+∞
i=1

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Line Integral of a Vector Field

Denition
Let F~ be a vector eld on R3 that is continuous on some region
containing the smooth space curve C parametrized by
~
R(t) = hx(t), y(t), z(t)i, t ∈ [a, b]. The line integral of F~ along C is
dened by
Z n
X
F~ · dR
~ = lim F~ (x∗i , yi∗ , zi∗ ) · dR
~ i,
C n→+∞
i=1

if this limit exists.

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Evaluating a Line Integral of a Vector Field
Remarks
Given F~ = hP, Q, Ri and C : R(t)
~ = hx(t), y(t), z(t)i, t ∈ [a, b].
Z
1 To evaluate ~ , we introduce the parameter t in F~ , and we
F~ · dR
C
~
dR
write dR
~ = dt = R~ 0 (t) dt to get
dt
Z Z b
~ ~
F · dR = F~ (x(t), y(t), z(t)) · R
~ 0 (t) dt.
C a

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Evaluating a Line Integral of a Vector Field
Remarks
Given F~ = hP, Q, Ri and C : R(t)
~ = hx(t), y(t), z(t)i, t ∈ [a, b].
Z Z b
1 F~ · dR
~ = F~ (x(t), y(t), z(t)) · R
~ 0 (t) dt
C a
2 Since R(t)
~ = hx(t), y(t), z(t)i, we have
D dx dy dz E
~ 0 (t) dt =
R , , dt = hdx, dy, dzi.
dt dt dt
Therefore,
Z b
F~ (x(t), y(t), z(t)) · R
~ 0 (t) dt
a
Z
= hP (x, y, z), Q(x, y, z), R(x, y, z)i · hdx, dy, dzi
ZC
= P (x, y, z) dx + Q(x, y, z) dy + R(x, y, z) dz.
C

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Evaluating a Line Integral of a Vector Field

Remarks
Given F~ = hP, Q, Ri and C : R(t)
~ = hx(t), y(t), z(t)i, t ∈ [a, b].
Z Z b
1 F~ · dR
~ = F~ (x(t), y(t), z(t)) · R
~ 0 (t) dt
C a
Z Z
2 F~ · dR
~ = P (x, y, z) dx + Q(x, y, z) dy + R(x, y, z) dz
C C

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Evaluating a Line Integral of a Vector Field

In R2 , we have the following:

Remarks
Given F~ = hP, Qi and C : R(t)
~ = hx(t), y(t)i, t ∈ [a, b].
Z Z b
1 F~ · dR
~ = F~ (x(t), y(t)) · R
~ 0 (t) dt
C a
Z Z
2 F~ · dR
~ = P (x, y) dx + Q(x, y) dy
C C

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Examples
Example
Given F~ (x, y) = hx2 , −xyi and C is theZcurve parametrized by
~
R(t) = hcos t, sin ti, t ∈ [0, π], evaluate F~ · dR.
~
C

Solution : Using the previous remark,

Z Z π
F~ · dR
~ = hcos2 t, − cos t sin ti · h− sin t, cos ti dt
C
Z 0π
= −2 cos2 t sin t dt
0
2 π
= cos3 t

3 0
2 4
= (−1 − 1) = −
3 3

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Examples
Example
Z
Let F~ (x, y, z) = hz, y, xi. Evaluate ~ , where C is the line
F~ · dR
C
segment from A(−2, 1, −3) to B(−1, 5, 0).
Solution : The curve C can be parametrized by
~
R(t) = h−2 + t, 1 + 4t, −3 + 3ti, t ∈ [0, 1].

Hence, we have
Z Z 1
F~ · dR
~ = h−3 + 3t, 1 + 4t, −2 + ti · h1, 4, 3i dt
C 0
Z 1
= (−3 + 3t) + (4 + 16t) + (−6 + 3t) dt
0
Z 1
1
= (22t − 5) dt = 11t2 − 5t  = 6
0 0

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Examples
Example
Compute the amount of work done by the force eld
F~ (x, y) = h2y − x, xyi in moving an object from the point (0, 0) to
the point (4, 4) along the curve C dened by R(t)
~ = ht2 , 2ti.
Solution : Note that h0, 0i = R(0)
~ and h4, 4i = R(2)
~ . Therefore,
Z Z 2
W = F~ · dR
~ = h4t − t2 , 2t3 i · h2t, 2i dt
C 0
Z 2
= (8t2 + 2t3 ) dt
0
 2
8t3 t4

88
= +  =

3 2  3
0

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Properties

Remarks
1 If −C is the curve C traced in the opposite direction, then

Z Z
F~ · dR
~ =− F~ · dR.
~
−C C

2 If C is piecewise smooth, i.e. C = C1 ∪ C2 ∪ · · · ∪ Cn , where each

Ci is smooth, then
Z Z Z Z
F~ · dR
~ = F~ · dR
~+ F~ · dR
~ + ··· + F~ · dR.
~
C C1 C2 Cn

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Examples
Example
Z
Let F~ (x, y) = hx2 y, xi. Evaluate ~ , where C is the triangular
F~ · dR
C
path shown in the gure.
Solution :
Z Z Z Z
F~ · dR
~ = F~ · dR
~+ F~ · dR
~+ F~ · dR,
~
C C1 C2 C3

where
~
C1 : R(t) = ht, 0i, t ∈ [0, 1]
~
C2 : R(t) = h1, 2ti, t ∈ [0, 1]
~
C3 : R(t) = h1 − t, 2 − 2ti, t ∈ [0, 1]

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Examples
F~ (x, y) = hx2 y, xi

~
C1 : R(t) = ht, 0i, t ∈ [0, 1]
Z Z 1
=⇒ F~ · dR
~ = h0, ti · h1, 0i dt
C1 0
Z 1
= 0 dt = 0
0

~
C2 : R(t) = h1, 2ti, t ∈ [0, 1]
Z Z 1
=⇒ F~ · dR
~ = h2t, 1i · h0, 2i dt
C2 0
Z 1
= 2 dt = 2
0

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Examples
F~ (x, y) = hx2 y, xi

~
C3 : R(t) = h1 − t, 2 − 2ti, t ∈ [0, 1]
Z Z 1
=⇒ F~ · dR
~ = h(1 − t)2 (2 − 2t), 1 − ti · h−1, −2i dt
C3 0
Z 1
2(t − 1)3 + 2(t − 1) dt
 
=
0

(t − 1)4 1 3
= + (t − 1)2  = −

2 0 2
Therefore,
Z
~ =0+2− 3 = 1
F~ · dR
C 2 2

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Exercises
Z
1 Evaluate ~.
F~ · dR
C
a ~ (x, y) = hx2 + y 2 , 3x2 yi; C
F is the portion of the parabola y = x2
from (−1, 1) to (2, 4)

b ~ (x, y, z) = hxy, yz, xzi; C

F : ~
R(t) = ht, t2 , t3 i, t ∈ [0, 1]

c ~ (x, y) = hx2 , −xyi; C is the portion

F of the circle x2 + y 2 = 1
from (0, 1) to (1, 0) traced clockwise

2 Find the amount of work done by the force eld

F~ (x, y, z) = hx + y, xy, −z 2 i

in moving an object along the line segments from (0, 0, 0) to

(1, 3, 1) to (2, −1, 4).

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