Spring 2004 Math 253/501503

14 Vector Calculus
14.5 Curl and Divergence
Thu, 08/Apr c 2004, Art Belmonte
Summary
Let F(x, y, z) = [P, Q, R] be a vector eld and f (x, y, z) be a
scalar eld.
Denitions
The vector differential operator del is

x
,

y
,

.
The gradient of f is

f =

f
x
, f
y
, f
z

.
The curl of F is curl F =

F =

i j k

z
P Q R

R
y
Q
z
, P
z
R
x
, Q
x
P
y

.
The divergence of F is div F =

F = P
x
+ Q
y
+ R
z
.
The laplacian of f is

2
f =

f = f
xx
+ f
yy
+ f
zz
.
The laplacian of F is

2
P,

2
Q,

2
R

.
Theorems
The curl of a gradient vector eld is the zero vector. That is,
curl

= 0 = [0, 0, 0].
If F is a vector eld dened on R
3
such that curl F = 0 (the
zero vector [0, 0, 0]), then F is conservative; i.e., F =

f
for some scalar potential function f .
If F is a vector eld on R
3
whose components have
continuous second-order partial derivatives, then
div curl F = 0, the scalar zero.
Hand Examples
905/2
Find the curl & divergence of the vector eld F =

x
2
y, yz
2
, x
2
z

.
Solution
The curl of F is curl F =

F or

i j k

z
x
2
y yz
2
x
2
z

2yz, 2xz, x
2

.
The divergence of F is div F =

F or

x
,

y
,

x
2
y, yz
2
, x
2
z

= 2xy +z
2
+ x
2
.
905/18
Is the vector eld F = [xz, xy, yz] conservative? If so, nd a
scalar potential function f for F.
Solution
Assume that F, which is dened on R
3
, is conservative. Then it is
the gradient of some scalar eld f . By the rst theorem, we have
0 = curl

f = curl F. But the curl of F is curl F =

F or

i j k

z
xz xy yz

= [z, x, y] = [0, 0, 0] .
We thus have a contradiction. Accordingly, the vector eld F is
not conservative.
MATLAB Examples
905/6
Find the curl and divergence of F =

sin x, cos x, z
2

.
Solution
In MATLAB you may use the Curl and div commands I wrote.
(Cooper already had a different routine called curl.) There are
also curl and div commands available on your TI-89 on the
FVMD menu (Functions and Matrix & Vector Derivatives).
%
% Stewart 905/6
%
syms x y z
F = [sin(x) cos(x) z2];
curl F = Curl(F); pretty(curl F)
[0 0 -sin(x)]
div F = div(F); pretty(div F)
cos(x) + 2 z
%
echo off; diary off
1
905/16
Is the vector eld F =

x, e
y
sin z, e
y
cos z

conservative? If so,
nd a scalar potential function f for F.
Solution
We see that curl F = 0 on R
3
. So F is conservative by the second
theorem in the Summary. We then use the pot command to yield
the desired potential function f .
%
% Stewart 905/16
%
syms x y z
v = [x y z];
F = [x exp(y)*sin(z) exp(y)*cos(z)];
curl F = Curl(F); pretty(curl F)
[0 0 0]
f = pot(F,v); pretty(f)
2
1/2 x + exp(y) sin(z)
%
echo off; diary off
906/38
Given the position vector eld r = [x, y, z] and spherical radius
variable =

x
2
+ y
2
+z
2
, verify the identity

3
= 12,
where

2
is the laplacian.
Solution
We simply show that

3
12 = 0. Done!
%
% Stewart 906/38
%
syms x y z
v = [x y z];
r = len(v)
r =
(x2+y2+z2)(1/2)
f = r3;
% Left - Right = 0
lmrez = simple(laplacian(f) - 12*r)
lmrez =
0
%
echo off; diary off
2