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PYL100: EM Waves and Quantum Mechanics Vector Analysis Problem Set 1

This document contains 18 exercises on vector calculus concepts like the cross product, gradients, divergence, curl, and theorems relating them. Students are asked to calculate components, prove identities, find gradients and divergences of functions, test theorems, and more. The exercises explore key topics in vector analysis and quantum mechanics.

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Franklin Garyson
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
85 views

PYL100: EM Waves and Quantum Mechanics Vector Analysis Problem Set 1

This document contains 18 exercises on vector calculus concepts like the cross product, gradients, divergence, curl, and theorems relating them. Students are asked to calculate components, prove identities, find gradients and divergences of functions, test theorems, and more. The exercises explore key topics in vector analysis and quantum mechanics.

Uploaded by

Franklin Garyson
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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PYL100: EM Waves and Quantum Mechanics

Vector Analysis
Problem set 1
Prof. Rohit Narula
July 27, 2018

While it’s optional, you are urged to plot/visualize these examples in Wol-
fram Mathematica to aid your understanding and intuition.

Exercise 1.
Is the cross product associative?
i.e., does,
(A × B) × C = A × (B × C)
hold. Demonstrate why, or why not.

Exercise 2.

Use the cross product to find the components of the unit vector n̂ perpen-
dicular to the shaded plane in the given figure.

Exercise 3.
Prove the BAC-CAB rule by writing out both sides in component form.

Exercise 4.
Find the gradients of the following functions:
• f (x, y, z) = x2 + y 3 + z 4
• f (x, y, z) = x2 y 3 z 4

1
• f (x, y, z) = ex sin(y) ln(z)

Exercise 5.
The height of a certain hill (in feet) is given by

h(x, y) = 10(2xy − 3x2 − 4y 2 − 18x + 28y + 12)

where y is the distance (in miles) north, x the distance east of the a reference
point.
• Where is the top of the hill located?
• How high is the hill?
• How steep is the slope (in feet per mile) at a point 1 mile north and one
mile east of the reference point? In what direction is the slope steepest,
at that point?

Exercise 6.
Sketch the vector function,
r̂
v=
r2
and compute its divergence.

Exercise 7.
Draw a circle in the xy plane. At a few representative points draw the vector v
tangent to the circle, pointing in the clockwise direction. By comparing adjacent
∂vy
vectors, determine the sign of ∂v∂y and ∂x . According to the definition of curl,
x

what is its direction? Explain how this example illustrates the geometrical
interpretation of the curl.

Exercise 8.
Construct a non-constant vector function that has zero divergence and zero curl
everywhere.

Exercise 9.
• Refer to [IEDJ] and check the product rule (iv) (by calculating each term
separately) for the functions

A = xx̂ + 2y ŷ + 3z ẑ; B = 3y x̂ − 2xŷ

• Do the same for product rule (ii)


• Do the same for rule (vi)

2
Exercise 10.
Prove that the divergence of a curl is always zero.

Exercise 11.
Prove that the curl of a gradient is always zero.

Exercise 12.
Calculate the volume integral of the function T = z 2 over the tetrahedron with
corners at (0,0,0), (1,0,0), (0,1,0), and (0,0,1).

Exercise 13.
Check the fundamental theorem for gradients, using T = x2 + 4xy + 2yz 3 , the
points a = (0, 0, 0), b = (1, 1, 1), and the three paths given in the figure. for

• (0,0,0) ⇒ (1,0,0) ⇒ (1,1,0) ⇒ (1,1,1)


• (0,0,0) ⇒ (0,0,1) ⇒ (0,1,1) ⇒ (1,1,1)

• the parabolic path z = x2 ; y = x.

Exercise 14.
Test the divergence theorem for the function v = (xy)x̂ + (2yz)ŷ + (3zx)ẑ. Take
as your volume the cube with sides of length 2.

Exercise 15.

3
Test Stokes’ theorem for the function v = (xy)x̂ + (2yz)ŷ + (3zx)ẑ, using
the triangular shaded area of Fig.

Exercise 16.
Compute the divergence of the function

v = (r cos θ)r̂ + (r sin θ)θ̂ + (r sin θ cos φ)φ̂

Check the divergence theorem for this function, using as your volume the in-
verted hemispherical bowl of radius R, resting on the xy plane and centered at
the origin.

Exercise 17.

• Find the divergence of the function

v = s(2 + sin2 φ)ŝ + s sin φ cos φφ̂ + 3z ẑ

• Test the divergence theorem for this function, using the quarter-cylinder
(radius 2, height 5) shown in the figure.
• Find the curl of v.

Exercise 18.
Let F1 = x2 x̂ and F2 = xx̂ + y ŷ + z ẑ. Calculate the divergence and curl of F1
and F2 . Which one can be written as the gradient of a scalar? Find a scalar
potential that does the job. Which one can be written as the curl of a vector?
Find a suitable vector potential.

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