Scribd
Upload
109 views3 pages

2.7 Line Integrals

This document discusses line integrals and their properties. It defines a line integral as the integral of a vector field A along a path C. It provides examples of line integrals in physics for work and Ampere's law. It then shows how to evaluate a line integral I along a path specified by a function y=f(x) between limits A and B. The document outlines three important properties of line integrals: how the integral changes with the limits, adding integrals along sections of a path, and evaluating along multi-valued paths. It introduces line integrals around closed paths C and Green's Theorem, which relates a line integral around a closed curve C to a double integral over the enclosed region R.

Uploaded by

John Wanyoike Makau
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
109 views3 pages

2.7 Line Integrals

This document discusses line integrals and their properties. It defines a line integral as the integral of a vector field A along a path C. It provides examples of line integrals in physics for work and Ampere's law. It then shows how to evaluate a line integral I along a path specified by a function y=f(x) between limits A and B. The document outlines three important properties of line integrals: how the integral changes with the limits, adding integrals along sections of a path, and evaluating along multi-valued paths. It introduces line integrals around closed paths C and Green's Theorem, which relates a line integral around a closed curve C to a double integral over the enclosed region R.

Uploaded by

John Wanyoike Makau
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 3

2.

Line Integrals

In physical problems, one often encounters integrals of the form


I A dr

(37)

where is a A vector field, dr is an infinitesimal displacement, and C is path along which the
integral is to be evaluated. Examples of such integrals are the total work done W in moving a
particle in a force field F
W F dr
C

and Amperes law:

C B dr oi
where B is the magnetic flux density, i is the current, o and is the permeability of free space.
In Cartesian coordinates we write equation (37) as

I A dr iAx jAy kAz idx jdy kdz


C

Ax dx Ay dy Az dz
C

(38)

To illustrate the evaluation of these line integrals, consider the line integral
I Px, y dx

(39)

The path C is specified by a functional relation y f x . Then if the limits of the integration
are points Ax1 , y1 and Bx2 , y2 we have
B

x2

x1

I Px, y dx Px, f x dx Px, f x dx


C

(40)

This is illustrated below


y

Bx2 , y2
y f x

Ax1 , y1
x

The line integral may also be written as


B

I Px, y dx Pg y , y
C

dx
dy
dy

y2

Pg y , y dy dy
dx

(41)

y1

where g y f 1 is the inverse function of f x .


Line integrals have the following important properties:
(i) A line integral changes sign on interchanging the lower and upper limits of integration
B

Px, y dx Px, y dx

(42)

(ii) For any point E which lies between the lower and upper limits of integration A and B
we have
B

Px, y dx Px, y dx Px, y dx

(43)

y
B

E
A

(iii) If y is not a single-valued function of x as illustrated below


y
B

y f 2 x

y f1 x

Then
B

Px, y dx Px, f1x dx Px, f 2 x dx


A

(44)

Line integrals are often taken along a closed path. This is indicated as
I Px, y dx
C

An arrow is used to indicate the direction of integration as clockwise or anti-clockwise.

2.8 Greens Theorem in a Plane


Suppose the functions Px, y , Qx, y , and their derivatives are single-valued, finite and
continuous inside and on the boundary C of some region R in the xy-plane. Greens theorem
in a plane relates the line integral around the closed curve C to a double integral over the
enclosed region R
Q

Pdx Qdy x

P
dxdy
y

(45)

where the line integral is taken in the anti-clockwise direction. Greens theorem in a plane is
useful in deriving the area of geometrical shapes such the circle, ellipse and triangle. It is also
used in interpretation of the curl of a vector field.

You might also like