Vector Differentiation

Vector function of Scalar Quantity

if t is a scalar quantity and if to each value of t in an int erval

there correspomds a vector r , then r is a vector function of a
scalar var iable t and denoted by r  f  t 
If c is a particular value of scalar t , then the corresponding c  f  c 
Example
sup pose a particle P moves along a curve and t denotes time
and r denotes position vector , then r is a function of t.
DECOMPOSITION OF VECTOR FUNCTION

if we write r  f  t  as f  t   f1  t  i  f 2  t  j  f 3  t  k
where f1  t  , f 2  t  , f 3  t  are scalar functions of t than it
is called decomposition of vector function f  t  .

Example
if t is a parameter then that the equation of circle in parametric
form is x  a cos t , y  a sin t .
if r is the position vector of P on the curve then
r  xi  yj  zk if  x, y , z  are coordinates of P.
Hence the position vector of a point on a circle is given by
r  a cos ti  a sin tj  ok
The above equations give the vector decomposition of a position vector of a point.

Also called Equations of curve in vector form.

Vector Differentiation
 1 d f  t df
The derivative of f  t  is denoted by f  t  
dt dt
dr
if r  f  t  is a given curve then is a vector , tan gent to the curve
dt
at P  t  .

Velocity and acceleration

dr
r  t   x  t  i  y  t  j  z  t  k , then the velocity v is given by v 
dt
dv d2r
Acceleration A, is given by A  
dt dt 2
Derivative of cons tan t vector is a null vector
dc
 o
dt
RESULTS

1)
d
dt
 ab   d a db

dt dt
; a, b are vector functions of scalar t

2)
d
dt
  a. b  a.
db
dt
 b.
da
dt
3)
d
dt
 ab a db d a

dt dt
b

d
4)
d
dt
  a 
da
dt
a
dt
 is a scalar function of t
da   db   d c 
5)
d
dt
 abc   dt
b c   a
dt
c   a b 
     dt 
 db   dc 
6)
d 
dt 

a b c  
 dt 
da
 
 b c  a    c   a  b 
 dt   dt 
  
Ex1

if
da
dt
 u  a and
db
dt
d

 u  b, prove  a  b   u  a  b
dt

Sol

d db d a
a  b  a   b
dt   dt dt
   
 a ub  ua b
  a . b  u   a .u  b   u .b  a   a . b  u

  u .b a   u . a  b

 u   a  b

Ex2
find the unit vector tan gent to the space curve x  t , y  t 2 , z  t 3
at t  1

Sol
sin ce r  xi  yj  zk  ti  t 2 j  t 3k
dr
  i  2tj  3t 2 k
dt
dr
at t  1,  i  2 j  3k
dt
dr
  1  4  9  14
dt
 unit vector tan gent to curve
 d r / dt 1
   i  2 j  3k 
d r / dt 14

Point functions
a) Scalar valued point function
Consider any region R of space and suppose that to each point P of R, there corresponds a
  P .
Scalar quantity denoted by
then  is called scalar po int function defined over the region R
b) Vector valued point function

Consider any region R of space and suppose that to each point P of R, there corresponds a

vector quantity
f  P .
then f is called vector po int function defined over the region R.

Vector operator Del

  
i  j k
x y z

Gradient
if  is a scaler po int function then the vector function  is
called the gradient of .
   
grad     i  j k  i
x y z x
Ex 1
2
Find grad f , if f  e r

f f f
grad f  f  i j k
x y z
2
f  er r 2  x 2  y 2  z 2

df r df r df r
grad f  f  i .  j . k .
dr x dr y dr z
df 2 r r
 e r (2r ), 2 r  2 x, r  x
dr x x

r x r y r z
 ,  ,  ,
x r y r z r
2  x  2  y  2  z 
grad f  i 2re r    j 2re r    k 2re r  
r r r

grad f  2e r  ix  jy  kz   2e r r
2 2

 
2
grad f  2e r . r

STANDARD RESULTS
1)          
2)              
  
3) f  u   i f  u  j f  u  k f  u   f 1  u  u
x y z
Ex0
If   x 2  y 2  z 2 ,   x 2 y 2  y 2 z 2  z 2 x 2 find  ,  ,    . 

Sol
   
 i j k  2 xi  2 yj  2 zk
x y z
  
 i  j k  2 xy 2i  2 xz 2i  2 yx 2 j  2 yz 2 j  2 zx 2 k  2 zy 2 k
x y z
    2 xy 2  2 xz 2  i   2 yx 2  2 yz 2  j   2 zx 2  2 zy 2  k

 .    4 x 2  y 2  z 2   4 y 2  x 2  z 2   4 z 2  x 2  y 2 
 8  x2 y2  y 2 z 2  z 2 x2 

   .    16 x  y 2  z 2  i  16 y  x 2  z 2  j  16 z  x 2  y 2  k

Ex1a
r
Pr ove that of f  r   f 1  r  (where r 2  x 2  y 2  z 2 )
r
Sol
  
we have   i j k
x y z
Here   f  r  and f is a function of r and r is function of  x, y , z 
df r df r df r
 f  r   i j k
dr x dr y dr z

But r 2  x 2  y 2  z 2
r x r y r z
  ;  ;  ;
x r y r z r
x y z
 f  r   i f 1  r   j f 1  r   k f 1  r 
r r r
f  r
1
f  r
1

 f  r    xi  yj  zk   r
r r
1)
  
  are the directional derivative of  in the
x y z
direction of the coordinate axes at P.
2)
The directional derivative of  in the direction of a line whose
direction cos ines are l , m, n.

  
l m n
x y z
l, m, n are Direction cosines

3)

if f is the vector po int function then the directional derivative of f

in the direction of the line whose direction cos ines are l , m, n is
f f f
l m n
x y z
4)
 .a
the directional derivative of  in the direction of a 
a
Ex1

find the directional derivative of   x 2  y 2  z 2 in the direction

x y z
of the line   at  1, 2,3
3 4 5
Sol
 2  
  i
x
 x  y 2  z 2   j  x2  y 2  z 2   k  x2  y2  z 2 
y z
 i  2 x   j  2 y   k  2 z   2  ix  jy  kz 
 2  i  2 j  3k  at  1, 2,3 
 given direction a  3i  4 j  5k
Directional derivative in the given direction
 . a

a
 3i  4 j  5k 
 2  i  2 j  3k  .
9  16  25

2  3  8  15  26
  2
5 2 5

Ex2

find the directional derivative of   x 2  y 2  z 2 in the direction

of the line AB where B is  2, 6, 1 , at po int A  1, 2,1

Sol
 4  
  i
x
 x  y4  z 4   j  x4  y 4  z 4   k  x4  y4  z 4 
y z
 i  4 x3   j  4 y 3   k  4 z 3   4  ix 3  jy 3  kz 3 
 4  i  8 j   k at  1, 2, 1

AB  OB  OA   2  1 i   6  2  j   1  1k 

AB  i  8 j  2k

Directional derivative in the given direction

 . AB

AB
  i  8 j  2k 
 4 i  8 j  k  .
1  64  4

4  1  64  2  260
 
69 69

Divergence and Curl

Def
let f  f1i  f 2 j  f 3k then
    
divergence of f  div f   i  j  k  .  f1i  f 2 j  f 3k 
 x y z 
f f f
div f  . f  1  2  3
x y z

Note :
divergence f is a scalar po int function

If f is a vector po int function such that  . f  0, then

f is called solenoidal
We can also write as
f f f
div f   . f  i j k
x y z

Def
if f  f1i  f 2 j  f 3k then
i j k
curl of f  curl f    f   / x  / y  / z
f1 f2 f3
Note
curl f is a vector po int function
if f is vector po int fuuction such that curl f  0, the n
f is called irrotational or conservative.

f f f
curl f can be written as   f  i   j k
x y z

RESULTS

  
1. div f  g  div f  div g OR . f  g  . f  . g 
 
2. curl f  g  curl f  curl g OR   f  g    f    g 
    
3. . f  g  g .   f  f .   g 
4. .   f      . f     . f
Ex1

if a is a cons tan t vector such that a  a , prove that

 
.{ a. r a}  a 2
Sol
let a  a1i  a2 j  a3k  f  say 
 r  xi  yj  zk then
And

a . r  a1 x  a2 y  a3 z    say 
 
 a . r  a1i  a2 j  a3k

Then

   
 .{ a . r a}  a. r . a  a.  a. r  
 a a a 
  a1 x  a2 y  a3 z   1  2  3    a1i  a2 j  a3 k  .  a1i  a2 j  a3k 
 x y z 

 0  a12  a2 2  a32

 a2

Ex2

if a is a cons tan t vector find div a and curl a.

Sol
Let a  a1i  a2 j  a3k where a1 , a2 , a3 are cons tan ts.

a1 a2 a3

. a    0
x y z

i j k
  
 a 
x y z
a1 a2 a3
  a a   a a   a a 
 . a  i  3  2   j 1  3  k  2  1   0
 y z   z x   x z 
div a  0 and curl a  0.
Ex3

if a is a cons tan t vector and r  xi  yj  zk . prove that

i)
   
div a  r  0 ii ) curl a  r  2 a

Sol
Let a  a1i  a2 j  a3k where a1 , a2 , a3 are cons tan ts.

i j k
a  r  a1 a2 a3
x y z
 a  r   a2 z  a3 y  i   a3 x  a1 z  j   a1 y  a2 x  k
  
div ( a  r )   a2 z  a3 y  i   a3 x  a1 z  j   a1 y  a2 x  k  0
x y z

ii)

i j k
  
curl ( a  r ) 
x y z
a2 z  a3 y a3 x  a1 z a1 y  a2 x
  
curl ( a  r )  i  a1 y  a2 x   i  a3 x  a1 z   j  a1 y  a2 x 
y z x
  
 j  a2 z  a3 y   k  a3 x  a1 z   k  a2 z  a3 y 
z x y
curl ( a  r )   a1  a1  i    a2  a2  j   a3  a3  k  2 a

Ex4
A vector is given by F   x 2  xy 2  i   y 2  x 2 y  j. Show F is
Irrotational and find its scalar potential .
Sol
F is irrotational if curl F  0.
If  is the scalar potential then F  

i j k
  
curl F 
x y z
x 2  xy 2 y 2  x2 y 0

curl F  0i  0 j   2 xy  2 xy  k  0

F is irrotational

If  is the scalar potential then F  

  
 x 2  xy 2  i   y 2  x 2 y  j  0k  i j k
x y z
EQUATING

  
   x 2  xy 2  ,   y 2  yx 2  , 0
x y z
BY TOTAL DERIVATIVE

  
 d  dx  dy  dz
x y z
 d   x 2  xy 2  dx   y 2  x 2 y  dy  0dz

   x dx (treat y and z as constant)    y dy  terms free from x 

  z dz  terms free from x and y 

    x 2  xy 2  dx   y 2 dy  terms free from x    0dz

x3 x 2 y 2 y 3
   
3 2 3