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Curl

The curl of a vector field is defined as the limiting amount of circulation around a point as the area tends to zero. The curl is a vector quantity that provides a measure of the rotation of the vector field at a point. A vector field with a curl of zero everywhere is called irrotational or curl-free, while a vector field with divergence of zero everywhere is called solenoidal or incompressible.

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52 views3 pages

Curl

The curl of a vector field is defined as the limiting amount of circulation around a point as the area tends to zero. The curl is a vector quantity that provides a measure of the rotation of the vector field at a point. A vector field with a curl of zero everywhere is called irrotational or curl-free, while a vector field with divergence of zero everywhere is called solenoidal or incompressible.

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Subhasish Shit
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Curl of avector (x A)

The curl of a vector field A defined


, at any point is as the limiting amount of maximum
circulation (line integral) of A per unit around that
area point, as the area tends to zero.

curl = x lim,-o

A tAx +4y +kAz

a
curl = Vx
ox dy dz
Ax Ay A
= 04
0y dy

The curl of a vector is always a vector quantity. The curl of a vector field provides a
measure of the amount of rotation of the vector field at a
point.
In the curl of any vector point function gives the measure of
general, angular velocity at any
point of the vector field. The curl operation is restricted to how the field changes as one move
across the ficld and is non-zero when the field increases
(or decreases)
in a different direction
other than, that of the field. Otherwise, if the field changes in the same direction as pointed by
the field, the curl is zero.

If x A =
0, everywhere,
then the field is called irrotational. Thus a curl free field
is
called a conservative ficld. (Such fields have the that the line
property integral around any
closed loop, often representing the work done in moving a particle, is
zero.)
Rotational, Irrotational and solenoidal vector
Rotaional vector
A rotational vector is a vector field whose curl can never be zero.
We may define rotational vector as
a vector whose
magnitude is proportional to the
amount or speed of rotation and whose direction is perpendicular to the plane of
rotation.
Examples: Spin vectors, angular velocity, angular momentum and angular acceleration.
Practical examples: Spinning top, boomerang, gyroscope and spin axis of the Earth.

Irrotational vector
In vector calculus an irrotational vector field is vector A with curl
a zero at all points in the
field

x Ä=0
Or

Any motion in which the curlof the velocity vector is zero is said to be "irrotational",
otherwise rotational.

Solenoidal vector field


In a vector calculus a solenoidal vector field (also known as
incompressible vector field) is a
vector field A with divergence zero at all points in the field

A =0
Or

If the flux entering any element is the same as that leaving it i.e. div A 0
everywhere then
=

such a point function is called a solenoidal vector function. The


divergence of a vector
function A is zero if:

. The lines of force form a closed circuit.


II. Lines of flux terminating on the boundary (electric field in a
capacitor).
Examples
The magnetic flux density Bissolenoidal (V B 0).
The velocity field of an incompressible fluid flow is solenoidal.
he vorticity field, 7, is solenoidal (V =0). The vorticity field, 7, is obtained by
taking the curl of the corresponding vector field i. Vorticity field 7 = V X .

The electric flux density D in the region is solenoidal when there is no charge.

SUMMARY

Definition Value Physical meaning


Gradient A= VA = , JAy dA\ Vector
Vector The direction in which the scalar A |
changes most rapidly.

Grad scalar Vector

Ex:-V=Ë
Div = Ä=( + + Scalar Density of flux, i.e. the fluid
Oy velocity per unit volume

Div vector > scalar

Ex:7 E= Eo
Vector Spinning flux (whirlpool) acting on
Curl A Vx virtual surface.

Curl vector Vector

Ex:7 x =]

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