17

VECTOR CALCULUS

VECTOR CALCULUS

17.8
Stokes Theorem
In this section, we will learn about:
The Stokes Theorem and
using it to evaluate integrals.
2

STOKES VS. GREENS THEOREM

Stokes Theorem can be regarded as

a higher-dimensional version of Greens
Theorem.
Greens Theorem relates a double integral over
a plane region D to a line integral around its plane
boundary curve.
Stokes Theorem relates a surface integral over
a surface S to a line integral around the boundary
curve of S (a space curve).
3

INTRODUCTION

The figure shows an oriented surface with

unit normal vector n.
The orientation of S
induces the positive
orientation of the
boundary curve C.

4
Fig. 17.8.1, p. 1129

INTRODUCTION

This means that:

If you walk in the positive direction around C
with your head pointing in the direction of n,
the surface will always be on your left.

5
Fig. 17.8.1, p. 1129

STOKES THEOREM

Let:
S be an oriented piecewise-smooth surface
bounded by a simple, closed, piecewise-smooth
boundary curve C with positive orientation.
F be a vector field whose components have
continuous partial derivatives on an open region
in 3 that contains S.

Then,

F dr curl F dS
S

STOKES THEOREM

The theorem is named after the Irish

mathematical physicist Sir George Stokes
(18191903).
What we call Stokes Theorem was actually
discovered by the Scottish physicist Sir William
Thomson (18241907, known as Lord Kelvin).
Stokes learned of it in a letter from Thomson in 1850.

STOKES THEOREM

F dr F T ds
C

and

curl F dS curl F n dS
S

Thus, Stokes Theorem says:

The line integral around the boundary curve of S
of the tangential component of F is equal to the surface
integral of the normal component of the curl of F.

Equation 1

STOKES THEOREM

The positively oriented boundary curve of

the oriented surface S is often written as S.

So, the theorem can be expressed as:

curl
F

d
S

d
r

STOKES THEOREM, GREENS THEOREM, & FTC

There is an analogy among Stokes Theorem,

Greens Theorem, and the Fundamental
Theorem of Calculus (FTC).
As before, there is an integral involving derivatives
on the left side of Equation 1 (recall that curl F is
a sort of derivative of F).
The right side involves the values of F only on
the boundary of S.
10

STOKES THEOREM, GREENS THEOREM, & FTC

In fact, consider the special case

where the surface S:
Is flat.
Lies in the xy-plane with upward orientation.

11

STOKES THEOREM, GREENS THEOREM, & FTC

Then,
The unit normal is k.
The surface integral becomes a double integral.
Stokes Theorem becomes:

F dr curl F dS curl F kdA

S

12

STOKES THEOREM, GREENS THEOREM, & FTC

This is precisely the vector form of

Greens Theorem given in Equation 12
in Section 17.5

Thus, we see that Greens Theorem is really

a special case of Stokes Theorem.

13

STOKES THEOREM

Stokes Theorem is too difficult for us to

prove in its full generality.

Still, we can give a proof when:

S is a graph.
F, S, and C are well behaved.
14

STOKES TH.SPECIAL CASE

Proof

We assume that the equation of S

is:
z = g(x, y), (x, y) D
where:
g has continuous second-order partial derivatives.
D is a simple plane region whose boundary curve
C1 corresponds to C.
15

STOKES TH.SPECIAL CASE

Proof

If the orientation of S is upward, the positive

orientation of C corresponds to the positive
orientation of C1.

16
Fig. 16.8.2, p. 1129

STOKES TH.SPECIAL CASE

Proof

We are also given that:

F=Pi+Qj+Rk
where the partial derivatives of
P, Q, and R are continuous.

17

STOKES TH.SPECIAL CASE

Proof

S is a graph of a function.

Thus, we can apply Formula 10 in

Section 17.7 with F replaced by curl F.

18

STOKES TH.SPECIAL CASE

ProofEquation 2

The result is:

curlF dS
S

R Q z P R z Q P

dA
y z x z x y x y
D

where the partial derivatives of P, Q, and R

are evaluated at (x, y, g(x, y)).
19

STOKES TH.SPECIAL CASE

Proof

Suppose
x = x(t)

y = y(t)

atb

is a parametric representation of C1.

Then, a parametric representation of C
is:
x = x(t) y = y(t) z = g(x(t), y(t)) a t b

20

STOKES TH.SPECIAL CASE

Proof

This allows us, with the aid of the Chain Rule,

to evaluate the line integral as follows:

F dr

dx
dy
dz
P Q R dt
a
dt
dt
dt
b
z dx z dy
dx
dy
P Q R

dt

a
dt
x dt y dt
dt
b

21

STOKES TH.SPECIAL CASE

Proof

z dx
z dy
Q R dt
PR
x dt
y dt

z
z
P R dx Q R dy
C1
x
y

z

z

Q R P R dA
x
y
y
x
D

We have used Greens Theorem in the last step.

22

STOKES TH.SPECIAL CASE

Proof

Next, we use the Chain Rule again,

remembering that:
P, Q, and R are functions of x, y, and z.
z is itself a function of x and y.

23

STOKES TH.SPECIAL CASE

Proof

Thus, we get:

F dr

2
Q Q z R z R z z
z

x z x x y z x y
xy
D
2
P P z R z R z z
z

R
dA
yx
y z y y x z y x

24

STOKES TH.SPECIAL CASE

Proof

Four terms in that double integral cancel.

The remaining six can be arranged to

coincide with the right side of Equation 2.
Hence,

F dr curl F dS
S

25

STOKES THEOREM

Evaluate

Example 1

F dr

where:
F(x, y, z) = y2 i + x j + z2 k
C is the curve of intersection of the plane
y + z = 2 and the cylinder x2 + y2 = 1.
(Orient C to be counterclockwise
when viewed from above.)
26

STOKES THEOREM

Example 1

The curve C (an ellipse) is shown here.

evaluated directly.
C

F dr could be

However, its easier

to use Stokes Theorem.

27
Fig. 17.8.3, p. 1131

Example 1

STOKES THEOREM

We first compute:

curl F
x
2
y

y
x

1 2 y k
z
2
z

28

STOKES THEOREM

Example 1

There are many surfaces with

boundary C.
The most convenient
choice, though, is
the elliptical region S
in the plane y + z = 2
that is bounded by C.
If we orient S upward,
C has the induced
positive orientation.
29
Fig. 17.8.3, p. 1131

STOKES THEOREM

Example 1

The projection D of S on the xy-plane

is the disk x2 + y2 1.
So, using Equation 10
in Section 17.7 with
z = g(x, y) = 2 y,
we have the following
result.

30
Fig. 17.8.3, p. 1131

Example 1

STOKES THEOREM

F dr curl F dS 1 2 y dA
S

1 2r sin r dr d
0

r
2 2 3 sin

d
0

1
2

sin d

2
3
0
12 2 0

31

STOKES THEOREM

Example 2

Use Stokes Theorem to compute

where:

curl F dS
S

F(x, y, z) = xz i + yz j + xy k
S is the part of
the sphere
x2 + y2 + z2 = 4
that lies inside
the cylinder
x2 + y2 =1
and above
the xy-plane.
32
Fig. 17.8.4, p. 1131

STOKES THEOREM

Example 2

To find the boundary curve C,

we solve:
x2 + y2 + z2 = 4 and x2 + y2 = 1
Subtracting,
we get z2 = 3.
So, z 3
(since z > 0).

33
Fig. 17.8.4, p. 1131

STOKES THEOREM

Example 2

So, C is the circle given by:

x2 + y2 = 1, z 3

34
Fig. 17.8.4, p. 1131

STOKES THEOREM

Example 2

A vector equation of C is:

r(t) = cos t i + sin t j + 3 k

0 t 2

Therefore, r(t) = sin t i + cos t j

Also, we have:

F r t 3 cos t i 3 sin t j cos t sin t k

35

Example 2

STOKES THEOREM

Thus, by Stokes Theorem,

curl F dS

F dr

F(r (t )) r '(t ) dt
0

3 cos t sin t 3 sin t cos t dt

3 0 dt 0
0

36

STOKES THEOREM

Note that, in Example 2, we computed

a surface integral simply by knowing
the values of F on the boundary curve C.

This means that:

If we have another oriented surface with
the same boundary curve C, we get exactly
the same value for the surface integral!

37

Equation 3

STOKES THEOREM

In general, if S1 and S2 are oriented surfaces

with the same oriented boundary curve C
and both satisfy the hypotheses of Stokes
Theorem, then

curl F dS
S1

F dr curl F dS
S2

This fact is useful when it is difficult to integrate

over one surface but easy to integrate over the other.

38

CURL VECTOR

We now use Stokes Theorem to throw

some light on the meaning of the curl
vector.

Suppose that C is an oriented closed curve

and v represents the velocity field in fluid flow.

39

CURL VECTOR

Consider the line integral

v dr v T ds
C

and recall that v T is the component of v

in the direction of the unit tangent vector T.
This means that the closer the direction of v is
to the direction of T, the larger the value of v T.

40

CIRCULATION

Thus,

v dr is a measure of the tendency

of the fluid to move around C.

It is called the circulation of v around C.

41
Fig. 17.8.5, p. 1132

CURL VECTOR

Now, let:
P0(x0, y0, z0) be a point in the fluid.
Sa be a small disk with radius a and center P0.
Then, (curl F)(P) (curl F)(P0) for all points
P on Sa because curl F is continuous.

42

CURL VECTOR

Thus, by Stokes Theorem, we get

the following approximation to the circulation
around the boundary circle Ca:

Ca

v dr curl v dS curl v ndS

Sa

Sa

curl v P0 n P0 dS
Sa

curl v P0 n P0 a

43

CURL VECTOR

Equation 4

The approximation becomes better as a 0.

Thus, we have:

curl v P0 n P0

1
lim 2
a 0 a

Ca

v dr

44

CURL & CIRCULATION

Equation 4 gives the relationship

between the curl and the circulation.
It shows that curl v n is a measure of
the rotating effect of the fluid about the axis n.
The curling effect is greatest about the axis
parallel to curl v.

45

CURL & CIRCULATION

Imagine a tiny paddle wheel placed in

the fluid at a point P.

The paddle wheel

rotates fastest
when its axis is
parallel to curl v.

46
Fig. 17.8.6, p. 1132

CLOSED CURVES

Finally, we mention that Stokes Theorem

can be used to prove Theorem 4 in
Section 16.5:
If curl F = 0 on all of 3, then F is conservative.

47

CLOSED CURVES

From Theorems 3 and 4 in Section 17.3,

we know that F is conservative if
for every closed path C.

F dr 0

Given C, suppose we can find an orientable

surface S whose boundary is C.
This can be done, but the proof requires
advanced techniques.

48

CLOSED CURVES

Then, Stokes Theorem gives:

F dr curl F dS 0 dS
S

A curve that is not simple can be broken into

a number of simple curves.
The integrals around these curves are all 0.

49

CLOSED CURVES

Adding these integrals,

we obtain:

F dr 0

for any closed curve C.

50