BMS COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, BENGALURU – 560 019

DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS
UNIT-4: VECTOR CALCULUS
Gradient of the scalar point function
f f f
gradf  f  i  j  k where f  x, y, z  is a scalar point function
x y z
Geometrically, grad  f  is a normal to the surface f  x, y, z   c and has a magnitude equal to the
rate of change of f  x, y, z   c along this normal.

a
Directional derivative of  in the direction of a is given as D.D    a    .
a
Geometrically,   a represents the rate of  in the direction of a .

Problems on gradient:

1. Find grad  , if   log  x 2  y 2  z 2  . Ans:


2 x i y j zk 
x2  y 2  z 2
2. If f  x, y,z   3x 2 y  y 3 z 2 , find f and f at 1, 2, 1 .
3. If f  x2 yz and g  xy  3z 2 , calculate   f g  .

4. Find the unit vector normal to the surface x3  y3  3xyz  3 at the point 1, 2, 1 . Ans: i  3 j  2k .
14

5. Find the angle between the surfaces x2  y 2  z 2  9 and z  x 2  y 2  3 at  2, 1, 2  . Ans: cos1 8 21 .
63
6. Calculate the angle between the normals to the surface xy  z at the points  4,1, 2  and  3,3, 3 .
2

Ans: cos 1 1
22
7. Find the constants a and b so that the surfaces ax 2  byz   a  2  x is orthogonal to the surface
4 x 2 y  z 3  4 at the point 1, 1, 2  . Ans: a  2.5 , b  1
8. Find the directional derivatives of f  x, y, z   xy 2  yz 3 at the point  2, 1,1 in the direction of:

a. the vector i  2 j  2k . Ans: 11 .

3
b. the normal to the surface x log z  y 2  4 at  1, 2,1 . Ans: 15 .
17
9. Find the directional derivative of f  x, y,z   4e2 x y  z at the point 1,1,1 in the direction towards
the point  3, 5, 6  .
10. Find the directional derivative of x 2 y 2 z 2 at the point 1,1, 1 in the direction of the tangent to
the curve x  et , y  1  2sin t and z  t  cos t , where 1  t  1.
11. The temperature of points in space is given T  x, y, z   x 2  y 2  z . A mosquito located at 1,1, 2 
desires to fly in such a direction it will get warm as soon as possible. In what direction should it
move? Ans: 2i  2 j  k
12. The steady state temperature T of a metallic plate in degrees centigrade is given by the scalar
field 50  5x  10 y  xy , x  2 , y  2 . Find T 1,1 and the direction in which the rate of change
of T 1,1 is the greatest. (Wylie and Barret, Adv. Engg. Math.)

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Dept. of Mathematics Unit 4: Vector Calculus
13. In which direction from  3,1, 2  is the directional derivative of   x, y, z   x 2 y 2 z 4 maximum?
Also find the magnitude of this maximum.  
Ans: 96 i  3 j  3k ; 96 .
16
14. Find the values of the constants a, b and c so that the directional derivative of f  axy 2  byz  cz 3 x3
at 1, 2,  1 has a maximum of magnitude 64 in a direction parallel to the z -axis.
15. If the directional derivative of   axy 2  byz  cz 2 x3 at  1, 1, 2  has maximum magnitude of 32
units in the direction parallel to y-axis find a, b, c .

Divergence and curl of a vector point function

The divergence of a continuously differentiable vector point function F  f1 i  f 2 j  f3 k is denoted
f f f
by div F and is defined as div F    F  1  2  3 .
x y z
Physical interpretation of divergence: div F gives the rate at which fluid is originating at a point per
unit volume.
The curl of a continuously differentiable vector point function F  f1 i  f 2 j  f3 k is denoted by
curl F and is defined as:
i j k
    f f 
curl F    F    3  2 i .
x y z  y z 
f1 f2 f3

Physical interpretation: curl F gives the measure of the angular velocity at any point of the vector
field.
Solenoidal vector: A vector F  f1 i  f 2 j  f3 k is said to be solenoidal if div F  0 . (the flux entering
any element of space is the same as that leaving it.)
Irrotational vector: A vector F  f1 i  f 2 j  f3 k is said to be irrotational if curl F  0 . (any motion in
which the angular velocity at any point is zero.)

Problems on Divergence and Curl:

1. Evaluate
a. div 3x 2ˆi  5xy 2 ˆj  xyz 3kˆ  at the point 1, 2,3 . Ans: 6 x  10xy  3xyz 2 , 80

 
b. . 2 x 2 ziˆ  xy 2 zjˆ  3 yz 2 kˆ at the point 1,1,1 . Ans: 4xz  6 yz  2xyz , 8
c. .  e sin x cos z iˆ  e sin y cos z ˆj  z e kˆ  .
y x 2 z

d. . 3xyz ˆi  2 xy ˆj  x yzkˆ  .

2 3 2

2. Show that each of following vectors are solenoidal:

(i)   x2  yz  ˆi   4 y  z 2 x  ˆj   2xz  4z  kˆ .
(ii) 3 y 4 z 2ˆi  4 x3 z 2 ˆj  3x2 y 2 kˆ .
(iii)  x  3 y  i   y  3z  j   x  2 z  k
(iv) 3 y 4 z 2 i  4 x 3 z 2 j  3x 2 y 2 k

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Dept. of Mathematics Unit 4: Vector Calculus
3. If F   x  y  1 i  j   x  y  k show that F  curl F  0 .
4. Find the value of a if the vector  ax2 y  yz  i   xy 2  xz 2  j   2 xyz  2x 2 y 2  k has zero
divergences. Find the curl of the above vector which has zero divergence.
Ans: a  2 , 4 x  z  xy  i   y  2 yz  4 xy 2  j   2 x 2  2 y 2  z 2  z  k .

5.    
Evaluate curl xyzi  3x 2 y j  xz 2  y 2 z k at the point 1, 2,3 . Ans: 2 yzi   xy  z 2  j  x  6 y  z  k .

6.  
Find a and b if F   xyz  x a i  y a j  z a k is both solenoidal and irrotational.
b

7. A vector field is given by F   x 2  y 2  x  i   2 yx  y  j . Show that the field is irrotational and

x3 x2 y 2
find its scalar potential. Ans:    xy 2   .
3 2 2
8. A vector field is given by F   6 xy  z 3  i   3x 2  z  j   3xz 2  y  k . Show that the field is
irrotational and find its scalar potential.
9. A fluid motion is given by V   y  z  i   z  x  j   x  y  k . Is this motion irrotational? If so,
find the velocity potential. Ans: Yes.   xy  yz  zx .
10. If F  2 xyz 2 i   x 2 z 2  z cos yz  j   2 x 2 yz  y cos yz  k , show that F is a potential field or
conservative field and hence find its scalar potential
11. Find f , given
a. f  2 xyz 3ˆi  x 2 z 3 ˆj  3x 2 yz 2kˆ if f 1, 2, 2   4 .
b. f   y 2  2 xyz 3  ˆi   3  2 xy  x2 z 3  ˆj   6 z 3  3x 2 yz 2  kˆ if f 1,0,1  8 .
c. f  2 xiˆ  4 yjˆ  8zkˆ .
1

d. f  2 zyiˆ  xzjˆ  xykˆ .
z

e. f  xyiˆ  2 xy ˆj .

Vector identities
If f and g are scalar functions and F  f1 i  f 2 j  f3 k , G  g1 i  g2 j  g3 k are vector functions,
then:
a. div grad f    f   2 f  2 : Laplacian operator 
b. curl grad f    f   0
c. div curl F      F   0
d. curl curl F     F      F   2 F
e.   fG    f   G  f   G 
f.   fG    f   G  f   G 
g.   F  G   G    F   F   G  .
Problems on vector identities:
1. Find div F and curl F , where F  grad  x3  y 3  z 3  3xyz  . Ans: div F  6  x  y  z  , curl F  0

If V  xi  y j  zk , show that div F 

2
2. and curl F  0 .
x y z
2 2 2
x2  y 2  z 2

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Dept. of Mathematics Unit 4: Vector Calculus

3. If r  xi  y j  zk and r  r , prove that

a. div  grad r n   2  r n   n  n  1 r n2
2
b. 2 f  r   f   r  
f r  .
r
c.  
 2 r n r  n  n  3 r n  2 r .
2
d. 
grad div r   r3
r.
n
4. If r  xi  y j  zk and r  r , show that r r is solenoidal for n  3 and irrotational for all n .

If f   x 2  y 2  z 2  , find div  grad f  and determine n if div  grad f   0 .

n
5.
6. For a solenoidal vector F , show that curl curl curl curlF  4 F .
7. If u  x2 yz , v  xy  3z 2 , find   u v  and   u v  .
8. If  is a scalar point function then prove that   is irrotational.
9. If  and  are scalar point functions then prove that   is solenoidal.
10. If uF  v, where u,v are scalar point functions and F is a vector point functions, show that
F  curl F  0 .
11. If u and v are scalar point functions then prove that .  uv  vu   u2v  v2u . What
happens when u and v are harmonic.

Line integral
The line integral of F along a curve C denoted by  F d r
C
is given by
P2

 F  d r   F dx  F dy  F dz
C P1
1 2 3

where F  F1 iˆ  F2 ˆj  F3kˆ and P1 and P2 are points on the curve C .

Geometrically if F is the force acting on an object then  F  d r is the work done in moving the
C

object along C from P1 to P2 .

The line integral of F around a simple closed curve C is said to be the circulation of F around C .

Problems:
1. If F  3xyi  y 2 j evaluate  F  d r where C is the curve in the xy-plane
C
y  2 x 2 from

 0,0 to 1, 2 . Ans: 7 .

6
2. If f  (2 y  3)iˆ  ( xz) ˆj  ( yz  x)kˆ , evaluate the  f . dr , where C is the curve x  2t 2 , y  t and
C

z  t 3 from the point (0,0,0) to the point (2,1,1).

3. Find the work done in moving a particle in the force field F  3x 2 i   2 xz  y  j  zk along
a. the straight line from  0, 0, 0  to  2,1,3 . Ans: 16.
b. the curve defined by x2  4 y , 3x3  8z from x  0 to x  2 . Ans:

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Dept. of Mathematics Unit 4: Vector Calculus

 y dx  x dy about the triangle whose vertices are 1, 0  ,  0,1 ,  1,0 .

2 2
4. Compute the line integral
C

Ans: 2
3
5. A vector field is given by F   sin y  i  x 1  cos y  j .Evaluate the line integral over a circular
path given by x2  y 2  a 2 , z  0 . Ans:  a 2 .
6. Evaluate  f . dr , f   2 z , x ,  y  and C is R  cos t ,sin t , 2t  from (1, 0, 0) to (1, 0, 4 ).
c

Green’s theorem in the plane

If M  x, y  , N  x, y  , M y and N x be continuous in a region R of the xy-plane bounded by a simple
 N M 
closed curve C, then  Mdx  Ndy    x 
C R
 dx dy .
y 
Problems:
1. Verify Green’s theorem for
a.   xy  y 2  dx  x 2 dy , where C is bounded by y  x and y  x 2 . Ans: 1
C 20

 3x  8 y  dx   4 y  6 xy  dy , where C is bounded by x  0 , y  0 and x  y  1. Ans:

2
b.
C

c. Verify Green’s theorem for   x 

 cosh x dx   y  sin x  dy  where C is the rectangle with
2

C

 0, 0  ,  , 0  ,  ,1 and  0,1 .

x ydx  x 2 dy , where C is the boundary described counter clockwise of triangle with

2
d.
C

vertices  0, 0  , 1, 0  and 1,1 . Ans:

1
2 c
2. Apply Green’s theorem to prove that the area enclosed by a plane curve is xdy  ydx . Hence

find the area of:

a. an ellipse whose major and minor axes are of lengths a and b . Ans:  ab
2 2 2
b. the asteroid x 3  y 3
a 3
or x  a cos3  , y  a sin 3  .
c. the region between the parabolas x 2  4 y and y 2  4 x .

3. Apply Green’s theorem to evaluate   y  sin x  dx  cos xdy where C is the triangle enclosed by
c

 2x  2 
the lines y  0 , x  and y  . Ans:     .
2  4 

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Dept. of Mathematics Unit 4: Vector Calculus
Stoke’s theorem
If S be an open surface bounded by a closed curve C and F  f1 i  f 2 j  f3 k be continuously
differentiable vector point function, then  F  d r   curl F  n dS
c s
where n is a unit external normal

vector at any point.

Projection of the surface Expression
dxdy
On XY plane dS 
n.k

dydz
On YZ plane dS 
n .i

dxdz
On XZ plane dS 
n. j

Problems:
1. Apply Stoke’s theorem, evaluate   y  x  dx   2x  z  dy   y  z  dz
c
where C is the boundary of

the triangle with vertices  2, 0, 0 ,  0,3, 0  and  0, 0, 6  . Ans: 21 .

Apply Stoke’s theorem, evaluate   2 x  y  dx  yz dy  y zdz where C is the projection over the
2 2
2.
c

upper half of the sphere x  y  z 2  a 2 in the xy-plane.

2 2
Ans: a
3. If f  3 yi  xzj  yz 2k and s is the surface of the paraboloid 2z  x 2  y 2 bounded by z = 2,
 
evaluate  curl f . n ds using Stoke’s theorem.
s

Apply Stoke’s theorem, evaluate  y  x 2  dx  2 xydy where C is the rectangles bounded by the
2
4.
c

lines x   a , y  0 , y  b . Ans: 4ab2 .

Apply Stoke’s theorem to evaluate  ydx  xz dy  zy dz where C is the circle x 2  y 2  4 in
3 3
5.
C

19
z  1.5 . Ans: .
2
Gauss’s divergence theorem
If F  f1 i  f 2 j  f3 k is a continuously differentiable vector point function in a region R bounded by
the closed surface S, then  F  n dS   divF dv   divF dxdydz where
S R R
n is a unit external normal

vector at any point.

Problems:
1. Use Divergence’s theorem to evaluate  F  ds , where F  4xi  2 y j  z 2 k and S is the surface
2

bounding the region x  y  4, z  0 and z  3 .

2 2
Ans: 84

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Dept. of Mathematics Unit 4: Vector Calculus
2. If F  xyi  y 2 z j  z 3 k , evaluate  F dS
S
, where S is the unit cube defined by 0  x  1 ,

0  y 1 , 0  z 1 Ans: 2
3. Evaluate   yzi  zx j  xyk   d S
S
where S is the surface of the sphere x2  y 2  z 2  a 2 in the first

3a 4
octant. Ans:
8
Apply Divergence’s theorem to evaluate  
lx  my  nz dS taken over the sphere
2 2 2
4.
S

 x  a   y  b   z  c   2 ; l , m, n being the directional cosines of the external normal to

2 2 2

8
the sphere. Ans: a  b  c  3 .
3
5. Use the divergence theorem to evaluate  f . d S , where f   x 2  z 2  i  2 xy j   z 2  y 2  k , and
S

S is the surface of the cube by x  0, x  1, y  0, y  1, z  0, z  1 .

6. Use the divergence theorem to evaluate  f . d S , where f   x2  yz  i   y 2  zx  j   z 2  xy  k ,
S

and S is the surface of the rectangular paralellopiped 0  x  a,0  y  b, 0  z  c .

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