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Differential Surface Vectors

The document discusses differential surface vectors. A surface can be described using two vector components (A and B) representing the length and orientation of the edges of a rectangle. Taking the cross product of these vectors (A x B = C) yields another vector, C, which represents the area of the rectangle and is orthogonal to its surface. This concept is extended to differential surface vectors, where the cross product of two differential displacement vectors (dA x dm = ds) specifies both the size and normal orientation of a small differential patch of area on an arbitrary surface.

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110 views

Differential Surface Vectors

The document discusses differential surface vectors. A surface can be described using two vector components (A and B) representing the length and orientation of the edges of a rectangle. Taking the cross product of these vectors (A x B = C) yields another vector, C, which represents the area of the rectangle and is orthogonal to its surface. This concept is extended to differential surface vectors, where the cross product of two differential displacement vectors (dA x dm = ds) specifies both the size and normal orientation of a small differential patch of area on an arbitrary surface.

Uploaded by

John Doe
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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09/06/05 Differential Surface Vectors.

doc 1/3

Differential Surface
Vectors
Consider a rectangular surface, oriented in some arbitrary
direction:

A
C=AxB

We can describe this surface using vectors! One vector (say


A), is a directed distance that denotes the length (i.e,
magnitude) and orientation of one edge of the rectangle, while
another directed distance (say B) denotes the length and
orientation of the other edge.

Say we take the cross-product of these two vectors (AxB=C).

Q: What does this vector C represent?

A: Look at the definition of cross product!

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS


09/06/05 Differential Surface Vectors.doc 2/3

C = AxB
= ˆan A B sinθ AB
= ˆan A B

Note that:
C = A B

The magnitude of vector C is therefore product of the lengths


of each directed distance—the area of the rectangle!

Likewise, C ⋅ A = 0 and C ⋅ B = 0 , therefore vector C is


orthogonal (i.e., “normal”) to the surface of the rectangle.

As a result, vector C indicates both the size and the


orientation of the rectangle.

The differential surface vector

For example, consider the very small rectangular surface


resulting from two differential displacement vectors, say d A
and dm .

dm

dA

ds = d A x dm

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS


09/06/05 Differential Surface Vectors.doc 3/3

For example, consider the situation if d A = dx and dm = dy :

ds = dx x dy
( )
= aˆx x aˆy dx dy
= aˆz dx dy

In other words the differential surface element has an area


equal to the product dx dy, and a normal vector that points in
the ˆaz direction.

The differential surface vector ds specifies the size and


orientation of a small (i.e., differential) patch of area, located
on some arbitrary surface S.

We will use the differential surface vector in evaluating surface


integrals of the type:

∫∫S A (r ) ⋅ ds
s

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

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