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GradDivCurl PDF

Gradient, divergence, and curl are linear operators used to describe how quantities change in space. The gradient of a scalar function describes the direction of maximum change. Divergence measures the flux out of an infinitesimal volume and describes how a vector field spreads. Curl measures how a vector field rotates or spins and is related to Stokes' theorem. These operators are useful across physics and engineering to understand concepts like fluid flow, electromagnetism, and thermodynamics.

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73 views2 pages

GradDivCurl PDF

Gradient, divergence, and curl are linear operators used to describe how quantities change in space. The gradient of a scalar function describes the direction of maximum change. Divergence measures the flux out of an infinitesimal volume and describes how a vector field spreads. Curl measures how a vector field rotates or spins and is related to Stokes' theorem. These operators are useful across physics and engineering to understand concepts like fluid flow, electromagnetism, and thermodynamics.

Uploaded by

ali
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Gradient, Divergence, and Curl

Definitions
Let x = (x1 , x2 , x3 ),
scalar f (x) = f (x1 , x2 , x3 ),
vector f (x) = (f1 (x), f2 (x), f3 (x)), regarded as flux (velocity of fluid),
∂
operator ∇ = ( ∂x , ∂ , ∂ ).
1 ∂x2 ∂x3

Definition Value Physical meaning


∂f
grad f = ∇f = ( ∂x , ∂f , ∂f )
1 ∂x2 ∂x3
vector the direction in which f changes most rapidly

∂f1 ∂f2 ∂f3


div f = ∇ • f = ∂x1
+ ∂x2
+ ∂x3
scalar density of flux, i.e.
the fluid velocity per unit volume

î ĵ k̂

∂ ∂ ∂ spining flux (wheelpool)
curl f = ∇ × f = ∂x vector

∂x2 ∂x3

1
f1 affecting on the virtural surface
f2 f3
These three are all linear operators.

Further explanations (intuitive approaches)


∂f ∂f ∂f
Gradient: By total differentiation, df = ∂x3
dx1 + ∂x3
dx3 + ∂x3
dx3 = grad f • (dx1 , dx2 , dx3 ),
in order to maximize |df |, dx = (dx1 , dx2 , dx3 ) has to be parallel to grad f .

Divergence: Consider a tiny rectangular box S centered at point x


with dimension (∆x1 , ∆x2 , ∆x3 ). Then
the flux f thru facet S1 of outer normal (1, 0, 0) is approximately equal to
∂f1 ∆x1
f • S1 ≈ (f1 + ∂x1 2
)∆x2 ∆x3 ,
the flux f thru facet S2 of outer normal (−1, 0, 0) is approximately equal to
∂f1 −∆x1
f • S2 ≈ −(f1 + ∂x1 2
)∆x2 ∆x3 ,
the flux f thru facet S3 of outer normal (0, 1, 0) is approximately equal to
∂f2 ∆x2
f • S3 ≈ (f2 + ∂x2 2
)∆x3 ∆x1 ,
the flux f thru facet S4 of outer normal (0, −1, 0) is approximately equal to
∂f2 −∆x2
f • S4 ≈ −(f2 + ∂x2 2
)∆x3 ∆x1 ,
the flux f thru facet S5 of outer normal (0, 0, 1) is approximately equal to
∂f3 ∆x3
f • S5 ≈ (f3 + ∂x3 2
)∆x1 ∆x2 ,
the flux f thru facet S6 of outer normal (0, 0, −1) is approximately equal to
∂f3 −∆x3
f • S6 ≈ −(f3 + ∂x3 2
)∆x1 ∆x2 .
∂f1 ∂f2 ∂f3
Sum them up, and the total flux thru S is roughly ( ∂x 1
+ ∂x 2
+ ∂x3
)∆x1 ∆x2 ∆x3 ,
∂f1 ∂f2 ∂f3
i.e. ( ∂x1 + ∂x2 + ∂x3 ) times the volume of S.
def ∂f1 ∂f2 ∂f3
=⇒ div f = ∂x 1
+ ∂x 2
+ ∂x3
is the flux in a unit volume.

1
Curl: Consider a rectangular facet S1 parallel to x2 -x3 plane centered at point x with dimension (∆x2 , ∆x3
and its boundary C1 = ∂S consists of 4 edges r1 , r2 , r3 , r4 in the counterclockwise direction,
i.e. (0,1,0),(0,0,1),(0,−1,0),(0,0,−1) respectively. Then
the flux f along r1 :
∂f2 −∆x3
f • dr1 ≈ (f2 + ∂x3 2
)∆x2 ,
the flux f along r2 :
∂f3 ∆x2
f • dr2 ≈ (f3 + ∂x2 2
)∆x2 ,
the flux f along r3 :
∂f2 −∆x3
f • dr3 ≈ −(f2 + ∂x3 2
)∆x2 ,
the flux f along r4 :
∂f3 −∆x2
f • dr4 ≈ −(f3 + ∂x2 2
)∆x2 .
Sum them up, and the flux f along C1 is roughly
∂f3 ∂f2
( ∂x2
− ∂x3
)∆x2 ∆x3 .
Similarly,
if C2 = ∂S2 is parallel to x3 -x1 plane then flux f along C2 is roughly
∂f1 ∂f3
( ∂x3
− ∂x1
)∆x3 ∆x1 ,
if C3 = ∂S3 is parallel to x1 -x2 plane then flux f along C3 is roughly
∂f2 ∂f1
( ∂x1
− ∂x2
)∆x1 ∆x2 ,
These highlighted three are components of

î ĵ k̂

def ∂ ∂ ∂ ∂f3 ∂f2 ∂f1 ∂f3 ∂f2 ∂f1
curl f = ∂x = ( ∂x − ∂x )î + ( ∂x − ∂x )ĵ + ( ∂x − )k̂

1 ∂x2 ∂x3 2 3 3 1 1 ∂x2
f1 f2 f3
and the underlined three are the influences of f on S1 , S2 , S3 :
∂f3 ∂f2
( ∂x2
− ∂x3
)∆x2 ∆x3 = curl f • (∆x2 ∆x3 î) = curl f • S1 ,
∂f1 ∂f3
( ∂x3
− ∂x1
)∆x3 ∆x1 = curl f • (∆x3 ∆x1 ĵ) = curl f • S2 ,
∂f2 ∂f1
( ∂x1
− ∂x2
)∆x1 ∆x2 = curl f • (∆x1 ∆x2 k̂) = curl f • S3 .
From the deriviations of divergence and curl, we can directly come up with the conclusions:
Divergence Theorem V
ZZ is the region
ZZZenclosed by closed surface S. Then
f • dS = div f dV
S V
Stokes’ Theorem SZ is a surface with
Z Z simple closed boundary C. Then
curl f • dS = f • dr
S C
Green’s Theorem A special case of Stokes’ Theorem:
Let f (x, y, z) = (M (x, y), N (x, y), 0) and a flat surface S = R is lying
on the x-y plane with boundary C, then the normal of S is (0, 0, 1)
so that curl f • dS = ( ∂N∂x Z
− ∂M
∂y
) dx dy and f • dr = M dx + N dy.
ZZ
i.e. ( ∂N
∂x
− ∂M
∂y
) dx dy = M dx + N dy.
R C

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