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VECTOR CALCULUS

VECTOR CALCULUS

Here, we define two operations


that:
Can be performed on vector fields.
Play a basic role in the applications of vector
calculus to fluid flow, electricity, and magnetism.

VECTOR CALCULUS

Each operation resembles differentiation.


However, one produces a vector field
whereas the other produces a scalar field.

VECTOR CALCULUS

12.5
Curl and Divergence
In this section, we will learn about:
The operations of curl and divergence
and how they can be used to obtain
vector forms of Greens Theorem.

CURL

Suppose:
F = P i + Q j + R k is a vector field on

The partial derivatives of P, Q, and R all exist

CURL

Equation 1

Then, the curl of F is the vector field on


defined by:

curl F =
R Q P R Q P
y z i + z x j + x y k

CURL

As a memory aid, lets rewrite Equation 1


using operator notation.

We introduce the vector differential operator


(del) as:

= i + j +k
x
y
z

CURL

It has meaning when it operates on a scalar


function to produce the gradient of f :

f
f
f
f = i + j + k
x
y
z
f
f
f
= i + j+ k
x
y
z

CURL

If we think of

as a vector with

components /x, /y, and /z, we can


also consider the formal cross product of
with the vector field F as follows.

CURL

F
i

=
x
P

y
Q

z
R

R Q P R Q P
=

i+

k
j+

y z z x x y
= curl F

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