Gradient, Directional Derivatives,

Divergence & Curl

 Elementary Vector Analysis
Definition (Scalar and vector)
Scalar is a quantity that has magnitude
but not direction.
For instance mass, volume, distance

Vector is a directed quantity, one with

both magnitude and direction.
For instance acceleration, velocity, force
2
We represent a vector as an arrow from the
origin O to a point A.

A A
OA or
a
O O

The length of the arrow is the magnitude of

the vector written as OA or a .
3
 Basic Vector System

Perpendicular to each other

In the positive directions
Unit vectors , ,
of the axes
have magnitude (length) 1 4
 Partial Derivatives of a Vector

If vector A depends on more than one

~
parameter, i.e

A(u1 , u2 , , un ) a x (u1 , u 2 , , u n ) i
~ ~

a y (u1 , u2 , , un ) j
~

a z (u1 , u2 , , u n ) k
~

5
 Partial derivative of A with respect to
~
u1 is
given by

A a x a y a z
~
i j k,
u1 u1 ~ u1 ~ u1 ~
2 A a 2
2
a 2
az
~
x
i y
j k
u1u2 u1u2 ~ u1u2 ~ u1u2 ~
e.t.c.

6
Example
If F 3uv2 i (2u 2 v) j (u 3 v 2 ) k
~ ~ ~ ~

then
F
~
3v 2 i 4u j 3u 2 k ,
u ~ ~ ~

F 2 F
~
6uv i j 2v k , ~
4 j 6u k ,
v ~ ~ ~ u 2
~ ~

2 F 2 F 2 F
~
6u i 2 k , ~
~
6v i
v 2 ~ ~ uv vu ~

7
 Del Operator Or Nabla (Symbol )

Operator is called vector differential operator,

defined as

i j k .
x ~ y ~ z ~

8
 Grad (Gradient of Scalar Functions)

If x,y,z is a scalar function of three variables

and is differentiable, the gradient of is
defined as

grad i j k.
x ~ y ~ z ~
* is a scalar function
* is a vector function

9
Example
If x 2 yz3 xy 2 z 2 , determine grad at P (1,3,2).

Solution
Given x 2 yz3 xy 2 z 2 , hence

2 xyz3 y 2 z 2
x

x 2 z 3 2 xyz2
y

3 x 2 yz 2 2 xy 2 z
z 10
Therefore,

i j k
x ~ y ~ z ~
(2 xyz3 y 2 z 2 ) i ( x 2 z 3 2 xyz2 ) j
~ ~

(3x 2 yz 2 2 xy 2 z ) k .
~

At P (1,3,2), we have
(2(1)(3)(2) 3 (3) 2 (2) 2 ) i ((1) 2 (2)3 2(1)(3)(2) 2 ) j
~ ~

(3(1) 2 (3)(2) 2 2(1)(3) 2 (2)) k .

~

84 i 32 j 72 k .
~ ~ ~
11
 Grad Properties

If A and B are two scalars, then

1) ( A B) A B
2) ( AB ) A(B) B(A)

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 Directional Derivative
Directional derivative of in the direction of a is
~

d
a . grad
ds ~
dr
where a ~ ,
~
dr
~

which is a unit vector in the direction of d r .

~

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 PHYSICAL INTERPRETATION
In mathematics, the directional derivative of
a multivariate differentiable function along a given
vector v at a given point x intuitively represents the
instantaneous rate of change of the function,
moving through x with a velocity specified by v. It
therefore generalizes the notion of a partial
derivative, in which the rate of change is taken
along one of the coordinate curves, all other
coordinates being constant.
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Example
Compute the directional derivative of x 2 z 2 xy 2 yz 2
at the point (1,2,1) in the direction of the vector
A 2i 3 j 4k.
~ ~ ~ ~

15
Solution
Directional derivative of in the direction of a
~
d
a . grad
ds ~
A
where grad i j k and a ~ .
x ~ y ~ z ~ ~
A
~

Given x 2 z 2 xy 2 yz 2 , hence
(2 xz 2 y 2 ) i (4 xy z 2 ) j ( x 2 2 yz) k .
~ ~ ~

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At (1,2,-1),
(2(1)(1) 2(2) 2 ) i ( 4(1)(2)
~

(1) 2 ) j ((1) 2 2(2)(1)) k .

~ ~

6 i 9 j 3k .
~ ~ ~

Also, given A 2 i 3 j 4 k , then

~ ~ ~ ~

A 2 2 32 (4) 2
~

29.
17
 A 2 3 4
Therefore, a ~
i j k.
~
A 29 ~ 29 ~ 29 ~
~

d
Then, a .
ds ~
2 3 4
i j k .(6 i 9 j 3 k )
29 ~ 29 ~ 29 ~ ~ ~ ~

2 3 4
( 6) (9) (3)
29 29 29
51
9.470462.
29
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 Unit Normal Vector
Equation (x, y, z) constant is a surface equation.
Since (x, y, z) constant, the derivative of is
zero; i.e.
d d r .grad 0
~

d r grad cos 0
~

cos 0
90.
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 This shows that when (x, y, z) constant,
grad d r .
~

y grad

ds

Vector grad is called normal vector to the

surface (x, y, z) constant
20
Unit normal vector is denoted by

n .
~

Example

Calculate the unit normal vector at (-1,1,1)

for 2yz xz xy 0.
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Solution
Given 2yz xz xy 0. Thus
( z y ) i ( 2 z x ) j ( 2 y x ) k .
~ ~ ~

At (-1,1,1), (1 1) i (2 1) j (2 1) k
~ ~ ~

2 i j k
~ ~ ~

and 4 1 1 6 .
The unit normal vector is
2 i j k
1
n (2 i j k )
~ ~ ~

~ 6 6 ~ ~ ~
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 Divergence of a Vector

If A a x i a y j a z k , the divergence of A is
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

defined as
div A . A
~ ~

i j k .( a x i a y j a z k )
x ~ y ~ z ~ ~ ~ ~

a x a y a z
div A . A .
~ ~ x y z
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 PHYSICAL INTERPRETATION
The physical significance of the divergence of
a vector field is the rate at which "density" exits a
given region of space.

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Example
If A x 2 y i xyz j yz 2 k ,
~ ~ ~ ~

determine div A at point (1,2,3).

~

Answer
ax a y az
div A . A
~ ~ x y z
2 xy xz 2 yz.
At point (1,2,3),
div A 2(1)(2) (1)(3) 2(2)(3)
~

13. 25
Remarks
A is a vector function, but div A is a scalar function.
~ ~

If div A 0, vector A is called solenoid vector.

~ ~

26
 Curl of a Vector
If A a x i a y j a z k , the curl of A is defined by
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

curl A A
~ ~

i j k (a x i a y j a z k )
x ~ y ~ z ~ ~ ~ ~

i j k
~ ~ ~

curl A A .
~ ~ x y z
ax ay az
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 PHYSICAL INTERPRETATION
The physical significance of the curl of a
vector field is the amount of "rotation" or angular
momentum of the contents of given region of space.
It arises in fluid mechanics and elasticity theory.

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Example

If A ( y 4 x 2 z 2 ) i ( x 2 y 2 ) j x 2 yz k ,
~ ~ ~ ~

determine curl A at (1,3,2).

~

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Solution i j k
~ ~ ~

curl A A
~ ~ x y z
y4 x2 z 2 x2 y2 x 2 yz

2 2
( x yz) ( x y ) i
2

y z ~

( x 2 yz) ( y 4 x 2 z 2 ) j
x z ~
2 4 2 2
( x y ) ( y x z ) k
2

x y ~
x 2 z i (2 xyz 2 x 2 z ) j (2 x 4 y 3 ) k . 30
~ ~ ~
At (1,3,-2),
curl A (1) 2 (2) i (2(1)(3)(2) 2(1) 2 (2)) j
~ ~ ~

(2(1) 4(3)3 ) k
~

2 i 8 j 106 k .
~ ~ ~

Exercise
If A ( xy3 y 2 z 2 ) i ( x 2 z 2 ) j x 2 yz 2 k ,
~ ~ ~ ~

determine curl A at point (1,2,3).

~
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Answer
curl A ( x 2 z 2 2 z ) i (2 xyz2 2 y 2 z ) j
~ ~ ~

(2 x 3xy 2 2 yz 2 ) k .
~

At (1,2,3), curl A 15 i 12 j 26 k .
~ ~ ~ ~

Remark
A is a vector function and
~

curl A is also a vector function.

~
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THE END