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Stokes' Theorem Example

Stokes' Theorem allows the evaluation of surface integrals over oriented surfaces S without explicitly parametrizing the surfaces. The example evaluates the surface integral of (∇×F)·dS over five surfaces: (a)-(d) are spheres where the theorem shows the integral is 0 since the surfaces have no boundary, and (e) is a half torus where the theorem reduces the integral to a line integral over the circular boundary ∂S. Computing the line integrals yields the final value of -20π.

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mohamed elfeky
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124 views3 pages

Stokes' Theorem Example

Stokes' Theorem allows the evaluation of surface integrals over oriented surfaces S without explicitly parametrizing the surfaces. The example evaluates the surface integral of (∇×F)·dS over five surfaces: (a)-(d) are spheres where the theorem shows the integral is 0 since the surfaces have no boundary, and (e) is a half torus where the theorem reduces the integral to a line integral over the circular boundary ∂S. Computing the line integrals yields the final value of -20π.

Uploaded by

mohamed elfeky
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Stokes Theorem Example

The following is an example of the time-saving power of Stokes Theorem.


Ex: Let F~ (x, y, z) = arctan(xyz) ~i + (x + xy + sin(z 2 )) ~j + z sin(x2 ) ~k . Evaluate

RR

~ d~S for each of


( F)

the following oriented surfaces S.


(a) S is the unit sphere oriented by the outward pointing normal.
(b) S is the unit sphere oriented by the inward pointing normal.
(c) S is a torus with r = 1, R = 5, oriented by the outward pointing normal.
(d) S is a torus with r = 1, R = 5, oriented by the inward pointing normal.
(e) S is the half of the torus below the x-y plane with r = 1, R = 5, oriented by the outward pointing normal, as
shown.

~ takes a
Solution: At first glance,RRthis looks like its going to be a ton of work to do this. Just computing F
~ d~S for each of the above surfaces. Thank goodness for Stokes Theorem:
while, much less evaluating ( F)
S

As discussed in lecture, for (a)-(d), S has no boundary S, so by Stokes Theorem,


ZZ
Z
~
~
~ d~s = 0
( F) dS = F
S

For (e), Stokes Theorem will allow us to compute the surface integral without ever having to parametrize the
surface! The boundary S consists of two circles in the x-y plane, one of radius 5 1 = 4 and the other of radius
5 + 1 = 6. We can parametrize them by c4 (t) = (4 cos t, 4 sin t, 0) for 0 t 2 and c6 (t) = (6 cos t, 6 sin t, 0) for
0 t 2.

Because these circles come from the boundary of a surface, we cant just orient them the way we would when
using Greens Theorem on region between them. Instead, we have to imagine walking on S with our head pointing
in the same direction as the orienting normal vector. In this problem, that means walking with our head pointing
with the outward pointing normal. So in the picture below, we are represented by the orange vector as we walk
around the boundary.

In order to keep S on our left, we have to walk in the direction as indicated in the figure. As in lecture, if we
draw S in the x-y plane, this means it gets the following orientation:

This is exactly the opposite of the orientation we would have if we were simply considering those circles as the
boundary of the region in the x-y plane between them. This happens because we had to walk with our head pointing
with the given normal.
Now lets compute the integral. We see that our parametrization for c6 is goes the wrong way, so we get minus
sign in front of the corresponding integral here:
ZZ
S

~ d~S =
( F)

Z
S

~ d~s =
F

~ 6 (t)) c0 (t)]dt +
[F(c
6

Z
0

~ 4 (t)) c0 (t)]dt
[F(c
4

Since z = 0 on both circles, so we get a much simpler integrals:


Z 2
Z 2
~ 6 (t)) c0 (t)]dt =
[F(c
[(0, 6 cos t + 62 cos t sin t, 0) (6 sin t, 6 cos t, 0)]dt
6

Z
=

[62 cos2 t + 63 cos2 t sin t]dt

(Now using cos 2t = 2 cos2 t 1 = cos2 t =


2

t
6
2 sin 2t
3
=6
+ cos t
4
2 3
0


2
6
6
= 36
= 62
+
2
3 3

cos 2t + 1
=
2

cos2 tdt =

and similarly,
Z

~ 4 (t)) c0 (t)]dt =
[F(c
4

[(0, 4 cos t + 42 cos t sin t, 0) (4 sin t, 4 cos t, 0)]dt

[42 cos2 t + 43 cos2 t sin t]dt



2
t
4
2 sin 2t
3
=4
+ cos t
4
2 3
0


2
4
4
= 42
+
= 16
2
3 3
=

Plugging these values in, we have


ZZ

~ d~S = 36 + 16 = 20
( F)

t
sin 2t
+ + C),
4
2

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