Gauss’ Divergence Theorem.

The Gauss Divergence theorem relates flux integrals and triple integrals.
Recall that when we evaluate a double integral over a surface we compute the
integral over the *skin* of the object enclosed by the surface (the boundary). In
triple integrals we integrate inside of the object:

Theorem 1 Gauss’ divergence theorem: Let T be a closed bounded region

in the space whose boundary ∂T is a piecewise smooth orientable surface. Let
F~ be a continuous vector field whose partial derivatives are continuous in some
domain containing T . Then:
ZZZ ZZ
div F~ dV = F~ · ~n dA
T ∂T

Example 1 Verify the divergence theorem when F~ (x, y, z) = (7x, 0, −z) and T
is the region enclosed by the sphere of radius 2.

1
 In this case:
T = {(x, y, z) : x2 + y 2 + z 2 ≤ 4}

and
∂T = {(x, y, z) : x2 + y 2 + z 2 = 4}

We first compute the triple integral over T using a change of variable to spherical
coordinates:

−π π
(x, y, z) = (r cos θ cos φ, r sin θ cos φ, r sin φ), r ∈ [0, 2], θ ∈ [0, 2π], φ ∈ [ , ]
2 2

and the Jacobian of change of variables is:

∂x ∂y ∂z
∂r ∂r ∂r
∂x ∂y ∂z ∂(x, y, z)
J= = = r2 cos φ.
∂θ ∂θ ∂θ ∂(r, θ, φ)
∂x ∂y ∂z
∂φ ∂φ ∂φ
Then:
RRR ∂(7x) ∂0 ∂(−z)
div F~ dV
RRR
= + + dx dy dz
T T ∂x ∂y ∂z
RRR R 2π R π2 R 2 2
= 6 T
dxdydz = 6 0 −π 0
r cos φdr dφ dθ
2
R 2π R π2 h 3 r=2
i
= 6 0 −π cos φ r3 dφdθ
2 r=0
R 2π R π2
= 16 0 −π cos φdφ dθ
2
R 2π π
= 16 0 [sin φ] −π 2
dθ = 64π (4)
2

On the other hand, a parametric representation for ∂T , the sphere of radius 2,

could be:

−π π
~r(u, v) = (2 cos u cos v, 2 sin u cos v, 2 sin v), u ∈ [0, 2π], v ∈ [ , ]
2 2

Then:
~ru = (−2 sin u cos v, 2 cos u cos v, 0)

~rv = (−2 cos u sin v, −2 sin u sin v, 2 cos v)

2
therefore
~ru × ~rv = (4 cos u cos2 v, 4 sin u cos2 v, 4 cos v sin v)

and

F~ (~r(u, v)) = F~ (2 cos u cos v, 2 sin u cos v, 2 sin v) = (14 cos u cos v, 0, −2 sin v)
 
4 cos u cos2 v
R 2π R π2  
F~ (~r) · N
~ du dv =
RR
−π (14 cos u cos v, 0, −2 sin v)  4 sin u cos v  dv du
 2 
R 0 2  
4 cos v sin v
R 2π R π2
= 0 −π (56 cos3 v cos2 u − 8 cos v sin2 v)dvdu
2

Notice that:
R 2π R π2 R 2π R π2
0 −π 56 cos3 v cos2 udvdu = 56 0
cos2 u cos v(1 − sin2 v)dvdu
−π
2 2
R 2π R π R 2π R π2
= 56 0 cos2 u cos vdvdu − 56 0 −π
2
−π cos2 u cos v sin2 vdvdu
2 2
π 3 π
du − 56 0 cos2 u[ sin3 v ] −π
R 2π R 2π
= 56 0 cos2 u[sin v] −π
2 2
du
2 2

56(2 − 23 ) 0 cos2 udu

R 2π
=
56(2 − 23 ) 0 1 + cos 2u du
R 2π
= 2
= 56π(2 − 32 ) (♣)

cos 2u = 12 [sin 2u]2π

R 2π
because 0 0 = 0.

And:
R 2π R π2 R 2π sin3 v π2
0
−8 −π cos v sin2 vdvdu = −8
0
[ 3 ] −π du
2 2
32
= − 3 π (F)
Adding (♣) and (F) we obtain the same result that we got doing the triple
integral of the divergence of F~ over T (4).

F~ · ~n dA, when
RR
Example 2 Use the Divergence Theorem to calculate ∂T

∂T = {(x, y, z) : x2 + y 2 = z 2 , 0 ≤ z ≤ 2}

and F~ (x, y, z) = (4x, 3z, 5y)

3
 By the Divergence Theorem:

F~ · ~ndA = divF~ dV,

RR RRR
∂T T

where T = {(x, y, z) : x2 + y 2 ≤ z 2 , 0 ≤ z ≤ 2}

divF~ dV
RRR RRR
T
= 4 T
1dxdydz
R 2 R z R √z2 −x2
= 4 √ 1dydxdz,
0 −z − z 2 −x2

Using polar coordinates, x = r cos θ and y = r sin θ and r ∈ [0, z] and θ ∈ [0, 2π]:
R 2 R z R √z2 −x2 R 2 R z R 2π
4 √ 1dydxdz = 4 rdθdrdz
0 0 − z 2 −x2 0 0 0
R2Rz
= 8π 0 −z
rdrdz
z 2 dz = 32π
R2
= 4π 3 0

Example 3 For F~ (x, y, z) = (x3 , x2 y, x2 z), evaluate ∂T F~ · ~n dA when:

RR

∂T = {x2 + y 2 = a2 , 0 ≤ z ≤ b} ∪ {x2 + y 2 ≤ a2 , z = 0} ∪ {x2 + y 2 ≤ a2 , z = b}

4
in two different ways.

By Gauss divergence theorem:

ZZ ZZZ
F~ · ~n dA = divF~ dV
∂T T

where T = {x2 + y 2 ≤ a2 , 0 ≤ z ≤ b} and divF~ = 5x2 .

Let us compute the triple integral first noticing that x and y are in the disc
of radius a, x2 + y 2 ≤ a2 and then we can write:
ZZZ Z b Z Z 
divF~ dV = 2
5x dxdy dz
T 0 x2 +y 2 ≤a2

We can use polar coordinates in the double integral as follows:

x = r cos θ, y = r sin θ, r ∈ [0, a], θ ∈ [0, 2π]

5
Recall that the Jacobian of change of variable in this case is r.
R b RR 2
 R b R 2π R a 3 2

0 x2 +y 2 ≤a2
5x dx dy dz = 5 0
r cos θdr dθ dz
0 0 r=a

r4
R b R 2π h i
2
= 5 0 0
cos θ 4 r=0 dθ dz
4 R b R 2π
 
5a
= 4 0 0 1 + cos 2θ dθ dz
2
4 4 Rb
= 5bπa + 5πa [sin 2θ] θ=2π
dz = 5bπa4 ()
4 8 0 θ=0 4
On the other hand:

F~ · ~n dA = F~ · ~n dA + F~ · ~n dA
RR RR RR
∂T {x2 +y 2 =a2 ,0≤z≤b} {x2 +y 2 ≤a2 ,z=0}

F~ · ~n dA
RR
+ {x2 +y 2 ≤a2 ,z=b}

We compute these three integrals independently.

To compute:
ZZ
F~ · ~n dA
{x2 +y 2 =a2 ,0≤z≤b}

6
we need a parametric representation of the circular cylinder of radius a, for ex-
ample:
~r(u, v) = (a cos u, a sin u, v), u ∈ [0, 2π], v ∈ [0, b]

Then
~ru = (−a sin u, a cos u, 0) and ~rv = (0, 0, 1)

obtaining:
~ = ~ru × ~rv = (a cos u, a sin u, 0)
N

Furthermore F~ (x, y, z) = (x3 , x2 y, x2 z) and therefore:

F~ (~r(u, v)) = (a3 cos3 u, a3 cos2 u sin u, a2 v cos2 u)

Then:
 
a cos u
 
F~ (~r(u, v))·N
~ = (a3 cos3 u, a3 cos2 u sin u, a2 v cos2 u)   = a4 cos4 u+a4 cos2 u sin2 u

 a sin u
 
0

But
a4 cos4 u + a4 cos2 u sin2 u = a4 cos2 u(cos2 u + sin2 u) = a4 cos2 u

Hence:
R b R 2π
F~ · ~n dA =
RR
{x2 +y 2 =a2 ,0≤z≤b} 0
a2 cos2 u du dv
0
2
= a2 0 0 (1 + cos 2u) du dv = a2 bπ,
R b R 2π

R 2π
because 2 0
cos 2udu = [sin 2u]2π
0 = 0.

To compute:
ZZ
F~ · ~n dA
{x2 +y 2 ≤a2 ,≤z=0}

we need a parametric representation of the {x2 + y 2 ≤ a2 , z = 0}, for example:

~r(u, v) = (u cos v, u sin v, 0), u ∈ [0, a], v ∈ [0, 2π].

7
Then:
~ru = (cos v, sin v, 0) and ~rv = (−u sin v, u cos v, 0)

obtaining:
~ = ~ru × ~rv = (0, 0, u)
N

and
F~ (~r(u, v)) = (u3 cos3 v, u3 cos2 v sin v, 0)

Therefore:

 
0
 
~ ~ 3 3 3 2
F (~r(u.v)) · N = (u cos v, u cos v sin v, 0)  0  = 0
 
 
u
Hence:
ZZ
F~ · ~n dA = 0
{x2 +y 2 ≤a2 ,≤z=0}

Finally, to compute:
ZZ
F~ · ~n dA
{x2 +y 2 ≤a2 ,≤z=b}

we need a parametric representation of the {x2 + y 2 ≤ a2 , z = 0}, for example:

~r(u, v) = (u cos v, u sin v, b), u ∈ [0, a], v ∈ [0, 2π].

Then:
~ru = (cos v, sin v, 0) and ~rv = (−u sin v, u cos v, 0)

obtaining:
~ = ~ru × ~rv = (0, 0, u)
N

F~ (~r(u, v)) = (u3 cos3 v, u3 cos2 v sin v, bu2 cos2 v)

8
and
 
0
 
F~ (~r(u.v)) · N
~ = (u3 cos3 v, u3 cos2 v sin v, bu2 cos2 v) 
 0  = bu3 cos2 v

 
u

Therefore:

4
bu3 cos2 vdu dv = ba4 π
R 2π R a
F~ · ~n dA =
RR
{x2 +y 2 ≤a2 ,≤z=b} 0 0

(Check this last integral, we have done similar ones before!) Hence:

F~ · ~n dA = F~ · ~n dA + F~ · ~n dA
RR RR RR
∂T {x2 +y 2 =a2 ,0≤z≤b} {x2 +y 2 ≤a2 ,z=0}

F~ · ~n dA
RR
+ {x2 +y 2 ≤a2 ,z=b}
4 4
= ba4 π + 0 + ba4 π = 5ba4 π ,

as we expected from ()