Monsoon Semester 2022-23: Tutorial 9

Topics: Vector field, Scalar potential, Divergence and Curl, Line

integral, Line integral independent of path, Conservative Field.
1. Determine whether the statement about the vector field F(x, y) is true or false. If
false, explain why.
Let F(x, y) = x2 i − yj.
(a) ∥F(x, y)∥ → 0 as (x, y) → (0, 0).
True
(b) If (x, y) is on the positive y-axis, then the vector points in the negative y-
direction.
True
(c) If (x, y) is in the first quadrant, then the vector points down and to the right.
True
2. Confirm that ϕ is a potential function for F(r) on some region, and state the region.
(a) ϕ(x, y) = tan−1 xy; F(x, y) = 1+xy2 y2 i + 1+xx2 y2 j
∇ϕ = ϕx i + ϕy j = 1+xy2 y2 i + 1+xx2 y2 j = F, so F is conservative for all x, y.

(b) ϕ(x, y, z) = x sin z + y sin x + z sin y; F(x, y, z) = (sin z + y cos x)i + (sin x +
z cos y)j + (sin y + x cos z)k.
∇ϕ = ϕx i + ϕy j + ϕz k = (sin z + y cos x)i + (sin x + z cos y)j + (x cos z + sin y)k = F,
so F is conservative for all x, y, and z.
3. Find div F and curl F for
(a) F(x, y, z) = x2 i − 2j + yzk
div F = 2x + y, curl F = zi.
(b) F(x, y, z) = xz 3 i + 2y 4 x2 j + 5z 2 yk.
div F = z 3 + 8y 3 x2 + 10zy, curl F = 5z 2 i + 3xz 2 j + 4xy 4 k.
4. Find ∇ · (F × G), where F(x, y, z) = 2xi + j + 4yk; G(x, y, z) = xi + yj − zk.

∇ · (F × G) = ∇ · − z + 4y 2 i + (4xy + 2xz)j + (2xy − x)k = 4x

5. Find ∇ · (∇ × F), where F(x, y, z) = sin xi + cos(x − y)j + zk.

∇ · (∇ × F) = ∇ · (− sin(x − y)k) = 0

6. Find ∇ × (∇ × F), where F(x, y, z) = xyj + xyzk.

∇ × (∇ × F) = ∇ × (xzi − yzj + yk) = (1 + y)i + xj

7. Let F = F(x, y, z), G = G(x, y, z), and ϕ = ϕ(x, y, z). Prove the following identities,
assuming that all derivatives involved exist and are continuous.
(a) div(ϕF) = ϕ div F + ∇ϕ · F
Let F = f i + gj + hk;

 ∂g ∂ϕ 
div(ϕF) = ϕ ∂f ∂ϕ
+ ϕ ∂y + ∂y g + ϕ ∂h + ∂ϕ


∂x
+ ∂x
f ∂z ∂z
h =
   
ϕ ∂f∂x
+ ∂g
∂y
+ ∂h
∂z
+ ∂ϕ
∂x
f + ∂ϕ
∂y
g + ∂ϕ
∂z
h = ϕ div F + ∇ϕ · F

(b) div(curl F) = 0
   
∂ ∂h ∂g ∂ ∂f ∂h ∂ ∂g ∂f


Let F = f i + gj + hk; div(curl F) = ∂x ∂y
− ∂z
+ ∂y ∂z
− ∂x
+ ∂z ∂x
− ∂y
=
∂2h ∂2g ∂2f 2
∂ h ∂2g ∂2f
∂x∂y
− ∂x∂z + ∂y∂z − ∂y∂x + ∂z∂x − ∂z∂y = 0, assuming equality of mixed second partial
derivatives, which follows from the continuity assumptions.

(c) curl(ϕF) = ϕ curl F + ∇ϕ × F

h i
∂ ∂
∂ ∂

Let F = f i + gj + hk; curl(ϕF) = ∂y (ϕh) − ∂z (ϕg) i + ∂z (ϕf ) − ∂x (ϕh) j +
h i
∂ ∂
∂x
(ϕg) − ∂y (ϕf ) k; use the product rule to expand each of the partial deriva-
tives, rearrange to get ϕ curl F + ∇ϕ × F

(d) curl(∇ϕ) = 0
 2   2   2 
∂ ϕ ∂2ϕ ∂ ϕ ∂2ϕ ∂ ϕ ∂2ϕ
curl(∇ϕ) = ∂y∂z − ∂z∂y i+ ∂z∂x − ∂x∂z j+ ∂x∂y − ∂y∂x k = 0, assuming equal-
ity of mixed second partial derivatives, which follows from the continuity assump-
tions.

8. Let r = xi + yj + zk, r = ∥r∥, f be a differentiable function of one variable and let

F(r) = f (r)r.
(a) Verify that the radius vector r has the stated property.
(1) curl r = 0
curl r = 0i + 0j + 0k = 0
r
(2) ∇∥r∥ = ∥r∥

p x y z r
∇∥r∥ = ∇ x2 + y 2 + z 2 = p i+ p j+ p k=
x2 + y 2 + z 2 x2 + y 2 + z 2 x2 + y 2 + z 2 ∥r∥

(3) div r = 3
div r = 1 + 1 + 1 = 3

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 1 r
(4) ∇ ∥r∥ = − ∥r∥ 3

1
−1/2 xi + yj + zk r
∇ = ∇ x2 + y 2 + z 2 =− 3/2
=−
∥r∥ 2 2
(x + y + z )2 ∥r∥3
f ′ (r)
(b) Use the chain rule and part (a) to show that ∇f (r) = r
r

∂r ∂r ∂r f ′ (r)
∇f (r) = f ′ (r) i + f ′ (r) j + f ′ (r) k = f ′ (r)∇r = r
∂x ∂y ∂z r

(c) Use the results in part (a), part(b) and the result div(ϕF) = ϕ div F + ∇ϕ.F to
show that div F = 3f (r) + rf ′ (r).
f ′ (r)
div[f (r)r] = f (r) div r + ∇f (r) · r = 3f (r) + r · r = 3f (r) + rf ′ (r)
r

(d) Use part (a), (b), and the result curl(ϕF) = ϕ curl F + ∇ϕ × F to show that
curl F = 0.
f ′ (r)
curl[f (r)r] = f (r) curl r + ∇f (r) × r = f (r)0 + r×r=0+0=0
r
(e) Use part (a), (b) and the result div(ϕF) = ϕ div F+∇ϕ.F to show that ∇2 f (r) =
′
2 f r(r) + f ′′ (r).
 ′
f ′ (r) f ′ (r)

2 f (r)
∇ f (r) = div[∇f (r)] = div r = div r + ∇ ·r
r r r
f ′ (r) rf ′′ (r) − f ′ (r) f ′ (r)
=3 + 3
r · r = 2 + f ′′ (r)
r r r
r
(f) Use part (c) to show that the divergence of the inverse-square field F = ∥r∥3
is
zero.

f (r) = 1/r3 , f ′ (r) = −3/r4 , div r/r3 = 3 1/r3 + r −3/r4 = 0

(g) Use part (c) to show that if F is a vector field of the form F = f (∥r∥)r and if
div F = 0, then F is an inverse-square field. [Suggestion: Let r = ∥r∥ and multiply
3f (r)+rf ′ (r) = 0 through by r2 . Then write the result as a derivative of a product.]
Multiply 3f (r) + rf ′ (r) = 0 through by r2 to obtain

3r2 f (r) + r3 f ′ (r) = 0, d r3 f (r) /dr = 0, r3 f (r) = C, f (r) = C/r3 ,

 

so F = Cr/r3 (an inverse-square field).

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 9. Let C be the curve represented by the equations x = t, y = 3t2 , z = 6t3 (0 ≤ t ≤ 1).
In each
R part, evaluate the line integral along C.
2
(a) C xyz ds

2 √
Z 1
864
t 3t2 6t3


1 + 36t2 + 324t4 dt =
0 5
R
(b) C xyz 2 dx
Z 1

2 54
t 3t2 6t3 dt =


0 5
R
(c) C xyz 2 dy
Z 1

2 648
t 3t2 6t3 6tdt =


0 11
R
(d) C xyz 2 dz
Z 1

2
t 3t2 6t3 18t2 dt = 162


0

10. Evaluate the line integral with respect to s along the curve C.
(a) C 3x2 yzds C : x = t, y = t2 , z = 23 t3 (0 ≤ t ≤ 1)
R

Z 1 Z 1
2

2
3
2
t7 1 + 2t2 dt = 13/20



3 t t 2t /3 1 + 2t dt = 2
0 0

e−z
R
(b) C x2 +y 2
ds C : r(t) = 2 cos ti + 2 sin tj + tk (0 ≤ t ≤ 2π)
√ Z 2π
5 √
e−t dt = 5 1 − e−2π /4


4 0

11. Evaluate
R the line integral along the curve C.
(a) C (x + y 2 ) dx − xdy C : x2 + y 2 = 1, counterclockwise from (1, 0) to (0, 1)
2

Z π/2
− sin t − cos2 t dt = −1 − π/4


C : x = cos t, y = sin t, 0 ≤ t ≤ π/2;
0

π
R

(b) C
x2 dx + xydy + z 2 dz C : x = sin t, y = cos t, z = t2 0≤t≤ 2

π/2
π6
Z
sin2 t cos t − sin2 t cos t + t4 (2t) dt =


0 192

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 R
12. Evaluate C F.dr along the curve C.
(a) F(x, y) = (x2 + xy) i + (x2 + y 2 ) j, where C is the boundary of the square formed
by the lines y = ±1 and x = ±1.
(b) F(x, y, z) = zi + xj + yk C : r(t) = sin ti + 3 sin tj + sin2 tk 0 ≤ t ≤ π2 .

Z π/2
7 sin2 t cos t + 3 sin t cos t dt = 23/6


0

(c) F(x, y, z) = (2x − y − z)i + (x + y − z)j + (3x − 2y − 5z)k, where C is the curve
in XY plane given by x2 + y 2 = 9.

13. Find the mass of a thin wire shaped in the form of the helix x = 3 cos t, y =
kx
3 sin t, z = 4t(0 ≤ t ≤ π/2) if the density function is δ = (1+y 2 ) ; (k > 0).

Z Z π/2
kx cos t
ds = 15k dt = 5k tan−1 3
C 1 + y2 0 1 + 9 sin2 t

14. Find the work done by the force field F on a particle that moves along the curve C,
where F(x, y, z) = (x + y)i + xyj − z 2 k and C : along line segments from (0, 0, 0) to
(1, 3, 1) to (2, −1, 4).

C1 : (0, 0, 0) to (1, 3, 1); x = t, y = 3t, z = t, 0 ≤ t ≤ 1,

C2 : (1, 3, 1) to (2, −1, 4); x = 1 + t, y = 3 − 4t, z = 1 + 3t, 0 ≤ t ≤ 1,
Z 1 Z 1
2
−11 − 17t − 11t2 dt = −37/2



W = 4t + 8t dt +
0 0

15. Use a line integral to find the area of the surface.

(a) The surface that extends upward from the parabola y = x2 (0 ≤ x ≤ 2) in the
xy-plane to the plane z = 3x.
Represent the parabola by x = t, y = t2 , 0 ≤ t ≤ 2.
Z Z 2 √ √
3xds = 3t 1 + 4t2 dt = (17 17 − 1)/4
C 0
√
(b) The surface that extends upward from the semicircle y = 4 − x2 in the xy-
plane to the surface z = x2 y.
Represent the semicircle by x = 2 cos t, y = 2 sin t, 0 ≤ t ≤ π.
Z Z π
2
x yds = 16 cos2 t sin tdt = 32/3
C 0

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16. (a) Show that the line integral C
(y sin xdx − cos xdy) is independent of the path.

∂ ∂
(y sin x) = sin x = (− cos x),
∂y ∂x
independent of path.
(b) Evaluate the integral in part (a) along the line segment from (0, 1) to (π, −1).
Z 1
C1 : x = πt, y = 1 − 2t, 0 ≤ t ≤ 1; (π sin πt − 2πt sin πt + 2 cos πt)dt = 0
0
R (π,−1)
(c) Evaluate the integral (0,1) (y sin xdx − cos xdy) using the fundamental theorem
of line integrals, and confirm that the value is the same as that obtained in part (b).

∂ϕ/∂x = y sin x

∂ϕ/∂y = − cos x, ϕ = −y cos x + k(y), − cos x + k ′ (y)

= − cos x, k ′ (y) = 0, k(y) = K, ϕ = −y cos x + K
Let K = 0 to get ϕ(π, −1) − ϕ(0, 1) = (−1) − (−1) = 0

17. Confirm that the force field F is conservative in some open connected region con-
taining the points P and Q, and then find the work done by the force field on a
particle moving along an arbitrary smooth curve in the region from P to Q.
(a) F(x, y) = xy 2 i + x2 yj; P (1, 1), Q(0, 0)

ϕ = x2 y 2 /2, W = ϕ(0, 0) − ϕ(1, 1) = −1/2

(b) F(x, y) = e−y cos xi − e−y sin xj; P π2 , 1 , Q −π



2
,0

ϕ = e−y sin x, W = ϕ(−π/2, 0) − ϕ(π/2, 1) = −1 − 1/e

y x
18. Let F(x, y) = f (x, y)i + g(x, y)j = x2 +y 2 i − x2 +y 2 j
R R
(a) Show that C1 F · dr ̸= C2 F · dr if C1 and C2 are the semicircular paths from
(1.0) to (−1, 0) given by C1 : x = cos t, y = sin t(0 ≤ t ≤ π) and C2 : x = cos t, y =
− sin t(0 ≤ t ≤ π)
∂f ∂g
(b) Show that the components of F satisfy ∂y
= ∂x

(c) Do the results in parts (a) and (b) contradict the theorem of conservative field
test? Explain.

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 ∂F1 −2xy ∂F2
= 2 =
∂y (x2 + y 2 ) ∂x
Despite the cross partials being equal, this does not guarantee that F is conservative
since D is not simply connected.
Let us setup our potential function as follows,
 x 
fx (x, y) = F1 = x2 +y 2
y
fy (x, y) = F2 = x2 +y 2

Then, we solve Z
f (x, y) = fx (x, y)dx
Z
x
= dx
x2 + y 2
Z
x
= dx
x + y2
2
| {z }
Letu
du=2x+x2 +x2
Z
1 1
= du
2 u
1
= ln(u)
2
1
= ln x2 + y 2 + g(y)


2
Derive (1) in terms of y, equate to fy (x, y), and solve for g(y)
 ′
1 2 2


fy (x, y) = ln x + y + g(y)
2
y y
2 2
= 2 2
+ g ′ (y)
x +y x +y
0 = g ′ (y)
K = g(y)
Now, we can write (1) as
1
ln x2 + y 2 + K


f (x, y) =
2
Assume K = 0, then our potential function is
1
ln x2 + y 2


f (x, y) =
2

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 To check,
∂f x
= 2
∂x x + y2
∂f y
= 2
∂y x + y2
Therefore, F = ∇f .

19. For what values of b and c will F = (y 2 + 2czx) i + y(bx + cz)j + (y 2 + cx2 ) k be a
gradient field?
Let’s consider the following functions

M = ay 2 + 2czx
N = y(bx + cz)
P = ay 2 + cx2

Them, the form is exact if

∂P ∂N ∂M ∂P ∂N ∂M
= , = and =
∂y ∂z ∂z ∂x ∂x ∂y
We notice that
∂P ∂N ∂ ∂
ay 2 + cx2 =


= ⇒ (bxy + cyz)
∂y ∂z ∂y ∂z
⇒ 2ay = cy ⇒ c = 2a
∂M ∂P ∂ ∂
ay 2 + 2czx = ay 2 + cx2



= ⇒
∂z ∂x ∂z ∂x
⇒ 2cx = 2cx ( always is satisfied )
∂N ∂M ∂ ∂
ay 2 + 2czx


= ⇒ (bxy + cyz) =
∂x ∂y ∂x ∂y
⇒ by = 2ay ⇒ b = 2a

Therefore, this form is exact if b = c = 2a.

We have noticed that the above form is F · dr for a = 1. Since this form is exact
for b = c = 2a we have that F is conservative if

b = c = 2a = 2(1) = 2

20. Show that the work done by a constant force field F = ai + bj + ck in moving a
−→
particle along any path from A to B is W = F · AB

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 We notice that F is a conservative vector field.
F = ai + bj + ck
∂ ∂ ∂
= (ax + by + cz)i + (ax + by + cz)j + (ax + by + cz)k
∂x ∂y ∂z
= ∇(ax + by + cz)

Therefore, the work done by F along any path from A to B is the same.
Z B Z B
Work = F · dr = ∇f · dr
A A
Z B
= df = f (B) − f (A)
A

Also, we notice that:

−→
F · AB = (ai + bj + ck) [(xB − xA ) i + (yB − yA ) j + (zB − zA ) k]
= a (xB − xA ) + b (yB − yA ) + c (zB − zA )
= (axB + byB + czB ) − (axA + byA + czA ) = f (B) − f (A)

So that,
−→
Work = f (B) − f (A) = F · AB
Result To verify this property, we have used that

F = ∇(ax + by + cz)

is a conservative force.

21. (a) Find a potential function for the gravitational field F = −GmM (x2xi+yj+zk
+y 2 +z 2 )3/2
where G, m, M are constants.
(b) Let P1 and P2 be points at distance s1 and s1 from the origin. Show that the
work done by thegravitational field in part (a) in moving a particle from P1 to P2
is GmM s12 − s11 .
a) If the vector field F , can be written as the gradient of an scalar function f, F =
∇f , the it is a conservative field, and
∂f x
= −GmM
∂x (x2 + y 2 + z 2 )3/2

Page 9
By integrating both sides with respect to x
Z
x
f (x, y, z) = −GmM dx
(x2 + y 2 + z 2 )3/2
Z 1
2
d (x2 + y 2 + z 2 )
= −GmM
(x2 + y 2 + z 2 )3/2
Z
1 2
−3/2
x + y2 + z2 d x2 + y 2 + z 2


= −GmM
2
−3/2+1
1 (x2 + y 2 + z 2 )
= −GmM +C
2 −3/2 + 1

−1/2
= GmM x2 + y 2 + z 2 +C
GmM
=p for C = 0
x2 + y 2 + z 2

So that, the potential function is

GmM GmM
f (x, y, z) = p −
2 2
x +y +z 2 r

b) Since F is a conservative force, the work done by this force moving a particle
from P1 to P2 is
W0,k = f (P2 ) − f (P1 )
GmM GmM
= −
s2 s1
 
1 1
= GmM −
s2 s1

a) The potential function is

GmM
f (x, y, z) =
r
p
where r = x2 + y 2 + z 2 .
b) To verify this statement, we have used that F = ∇f is a conservative vector field.

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