Math 251

The Divergence Theorem Stewart Section 14.9

Fall 2010

The Divergence Theorem

The Divergence Theorem (also called Gausss Theorem): Let E be a solid region
whose boundary surface S is positively oriented with an outward pointing normal vector.
Let F~ be a vector field with continuous partial derivatives on an open region containing
E. Then
ZZ
ZZZ
~=
F~ dS
(div F~ ) dV
S

This is the last of the big vector calculus theorems we hope you understand at the end
of the semester!

What is divergence?
If we think of a vector field as a velocity field for moving a fluid or gas around in the
usual way, the divergence measures the expansion or contraction of the fluid or gas.

A vector field with constant positive divergence

A vector field with constant negative divergence (convergence):

Meaning of the Divergence Theorem

All the divergence theorem says is that the expansion or contraction (divergence or convergence) of material inside a volume is equal to what goes out or comes in across the
boundary.

If we think of my favorite example, filling a bicycle tire up with air, what happens to the
air we pump into the tire?

The total change in the amount of air in the tire is the amount that comes across the
boundary. In this case, we hope the only permeable part of the boundary is the valve
stemif there is flux across the rubber innertube you are quickly going to get a flat!
The tire doesnt expand much with the addition of air. What happens instead?

Is this an example of convergence or divergence?

If I get a flat, now what happens to the air in the tire?

Is a flat tire an example of convergence or divergence?

Water doesnt pack in the way air does. When a fluid doesnt expand or compress, its
divergence is 0. If div F~ = 0 then we say the fluid is incompressible or divergence
free.
Notice that if something is incompressible that the amount coming in across the boundary is equal to the amount going out across the boundary the flux over the boundary
is 0. What goes in equals what goes out!
If div F~ > 0 in E then there is a net flow outward across the boundary E. If div F~ (P0 ) >
0 then P0 = (x0 , y0 , z0 ) is called a source.

If div F~ < 0 in E then there is a net flow inward across the boundary E. if div F~ (P0 ) < 0
then P0 (x0 , y0 , z0 ) is called a sink.

How do we use the Divergence Theorem?

The divergence theorem is primarily used to convert a surface integral
into a volume integral. Surface integrals can be quite complicated; you have to
determine dS and an normal or unit normal vector before you can even think about
doing the integral. The surface may consist of several parts. Often the volume is
simpler to set up. And sometimes div F~ also has a much simpler form than F~ !

You could also use it to convert a volume integral to a surface integral.

This is much lessZcommon.
The divergence is a scalar; we would start with a volume
ZZ
integral such as
g(x, y, z)dV . With F~ = hP, Q, Ri we would need to solve
E

Q R
P
+
+
= g(x, y, z)
x
y
z
for hP (x, y, z), Q(x, y, z), R(x, y, z)i. Not easy!

If the divergence is 0 in a region you can use it to show that two surface
integrals are equal. This is also much less common, but it has an application to
Gausss Law for electricity.

Example: Evaluate
ZZ

~
F~ dS

if F~ = hx + e23z , 3y 2 + cos(x2 z), 2z 2 xyi and S is the surface of the box 0 x 2,

0 y 1, 0 z 2.

Example: The flux density of water is F~ = hxy, 2xy, yz+2xzi (units of g cm2 sec1 ),
x2
z2
and we will find the change in the amount of water in the ellipsoid
+ y2 +
= 1 with
4
9
the dimensions in x, y, and z measured in cm.
First, what are the units in the surface integral and do they measure the
change in the amount of water?

Second, What are the units of div F~ and do the units in the volume integral
measure the change in the amount of water?

Third, find div F~ and evaluate the volume integral, which is much easier than
the surface integral! Does this result make sense? Do we have a name for this type of
fluid?

Fourth, note that that the flux integral over any closed surface S1 is equal to
the flux integral over a small sphere S2 that is completely contained inside
the surface S1 . Why is this?

Fifth, note the flux integral over a large sphere S3 that completely encloses
the surface S1 is equal to the flux integral over S1 . Why is this?

Electric Field of a point charge. (Stewart p. 935-936)

Equal surface integrals in the previous example are not a terribly exciting result since
this vector field is defined everywhere and its divergence is equal to zero everywhere.
Naturally, the integral over any closed surface is equal to zero; what goes in equals what
goes out.
Sometimes the vector field is not defined everywhere, as is the case with the electric field
generated by a point charge Q located at the origin. The force from this charge on another
point charge q located at position ~x is
qQ~x
F~ =
|~x|3
The electric field due to the charge Q at the origin is
~
~ = F = Q~x
E
q
|~x|3
~ is zero. (In fact, this is part of your
You can check and see that the divergence of E
homework!)

In this case, we can use the previous result to show that any two surfaces containing the
origin will have the same nonzero flux integral.
Draw a picture:

Example: Now we will calculate the electric flux due to a point charge Q at the origin
across any surface that encloses the origin. From what we just discussed, all these flux
integrals are the same, and we can simply calculate the flux integral across a sphere of
radius a centered at the origin.
What is the unit normal vector ~n to a sphere of radius a?

~ ~n?
What is E

Calculate the flux integral over S the sphere of radius a centered at the origin.
ZZ
ZZ
~ ~n dS
~ dS
~=
E
E
S

Compare your result to Gausss Law

ZZ

~ dS
~
E

Q = 0
S

here 0 =

1
.
4

Summary of the Integral Theorems

Fundamental Theorem of Calculus (1-d)
Z

f 0 (x)dx = f (b) f (a)

Fundamental Theorem of Line integrals (curves in space)

Let C be parametrized by ~r(t) for a t b
Z
~ ) d~s = f (~r(b)) f (~r(a))
(f
C

Greens Theorem (plane regions and their boundaries in 2-d)


Z
ZZ 
Q P
P dx + Qdy =

dA
x
y
D
D
Stokes Theorem (surfaces and their boundaries in 3-d)
ZZ
Z
~=
(curl F~ ) dS
F~ d~s
S

Divergence Theorem (volumes and their boundaries in 3-d)

ZZZ
ZZ
~
F~ dS
(div F~ ) dV =
E

c
Jean
Marie Linhart 2010