CALCULUS VOLUME 3

Week 9
Chapter 6 – Line integrals
OVERVIEW

6.2 Line Integrals

• Scalar line integrals
• Vector line integrals
• Properties
6.3 Conservative Vector Fields
• Curves and regions
• Fundamental theorem of line integrals
• Path independence
• Finding potential function for conservative
vector field
• Testing vector fields for being conservative
LINE INTEGRALS OF SCALAR FUNCTIONS
 LINE INTEGRALS

Line integrals are similar to single integrals except that instead of

integrating over an interval [a, b] they require integration over a curve C.

Consider a curve given in parametric equations

𝑥=𝑥 𝑡 , 𝑦=𝑦 𝑡 , 𝑎≤𝑡≤𝑏

or by the vector equation 𝐫(𝑡) = 𝑥(𝑡)𝐢 + 𝑦(𝑡)𝐣.

We assume C is a smooth curve, a curve with no sharp corners; when the

tangent vector turns, it does so continuously.
Divide the parameter interval [𝑎, 𝑏] into n subintervals 𝑡𝑖−1 , 𝑡𝑖 , 𝑖 = 1, . . , 𝑛.
Points 𝐫 𝑡𝑖 = 𝑃𝑖 divide curve 𝐶 into 𝑛 subarcs 𝐶1 , 𝐶2 , … , 𝐶𝑛 with lengths
𝑠1, 𝑠2, . . . , 𝑠𝑛.
Let 𝑡𝑖∗ be a value in the 𝑖 𝑡ℎ interval 𝑡𝑖−1 , 𝑡𝑖 and 𝑃𝑖∗ = 𝐫(𝑡𝑖∗ ).
Now, we evaluate the function 𝑓 at point 𝑃𝑖∗ for 1 ≤ 𝑖 ≤ 𝑛.
Product 𝑓 𝑃𝑖∗ Δ𝑠𝑖 gives the area of a ‘sheet’ with base 𝐶𝑖 and height 𝑓 𝑃𝑖∗
DEFINITION
Note that in a scalar line integral, the integration is done with respect to arc length
s, which can make a scalar line integral difficult to calculate. To make the
calculations easier, we can translate ‫ 𝑠𝑑 𝑓 𝐶׬‬to an integral with a variable of
integration that is t.

Image source
COMPUTING SCALAR LINE INTEGRALS
 EXAMPLE
Find the value of ‫ 𝑥 𝐶׬‬2 + 𝑦 2 + 𝑧 𝑑𝑠, where C is part of the helix
parametrised by 𝐫 𝑡 = ⟨cos 𝑡 , sin 𝑡 , 𝑡⟩, 0 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ 2𝜋

Solution:

𝑓 𝐫 𝑡 = cos 2 𝑡 + sin2 𝑡 + 𝑡 = 1 + 𝑡

2 2 2
||𝐫′ 𝑡 || = 𝑥′ 𝑡 + 𝑦′ 𝑡 + 𝑧′ 𝑡 = − sin 𝑡 2 + cos 2 𝑡 + 1 = 2

Therefore

2𝜋 2 2𝜋
𝑡
න 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 + 𝑧 𝑑𝑠 = න (1 + 𝑡) 2 𝑑𝑡 = 2 𝑡 + = 2 2𝜋 1 + 𝜋
𝐶 0 2 0
VECTOR LINE INTEGRALS
LINE INTEGRALS OF VECTOR FIELDS
Suppose F(x,y,z) = P(x,y,z) i + Q(x,y,z) j + R(x,y,z) k is a continuous
vector field that represents a force on a particle moving along curve 𝐶.
The particle could travel in two directions along the curve. Therefore, we
specify a direction along 𝐶; such a specified direction is called an
orientation of a curve.
A closed curve is one for which there is a parametrisation
𝐫 𝑡 , 𝑎 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ 𝑏, such that 𝐫 𝑎 = 𝐫 𝑏 ,
and the curve is traversed exactly once.
How would we compute the work done by F in moving a particle along C?

Curve 𝐶 is divided into 𝑛 pieces, and a point inside each piece is chosen.
If si is small, then as the particle moves from 𝑃𝑖−1 to 𝑃𝑖 along the curve, it
proceeds approximately in the direction of 𝐓(𝑃𝑖∗ ), the unit tangent vector at 𝑃𝑖∗ .
The work to move the particle from 𝑃𝑖−1 to 𝑃𝑖 is

𝐖 = 𝐅 ∙ displacement vector = 𝐅(𝑃𝑖∗ ) ∙ Δ𝑠𝑖 𝐓(𝑃𝒊∗ )

 VECTOR LINE INTEGRAL

With scalar line integrals, neither the orientation nor the parameterisation of the
curve matters.

With vector line integrals, the orientation of the curve does matter.

If we think of the line integral as computing work, then this makes sense: if you hike
up a mountain, then the gravitational force of Earth does negative work on you. If
you walk down the mountain by the exact same path, then Earth’s gravitational force
does positive work on you.
VECTOR LINE INTEGRAL

𝐫′ 𝑡
Since 𝐅 ⋅ 𝐓 𝑑𝑠 = 𝐅 ⋅ 𝐫 ′ 𝑡 𝑑𝑡 = 𝐅 ⋅ 𝐫 ′ 𝑡 𝑑𝑡 we can also use the
𝐫′ 𝑡
following formula for computing vector line integrals

𝑏
න 𝐅 ⋅ 𝐓 𝑑𝑠 = න 𝐅 𝐫 𝑡 ⋅ 𝐫′(𝑡) 𝑑𝑡
𝐶 𝑎

Because of the above equation, we often use notation ‫ 𝐫𝑑 ⋅ 𝐅 𝐶׬‬for the

line integral ‫𝑠𝑑 𝐓 ⋅ 𝐅 𝐶׬‬
EXAMPLE
Find the value of ‫𝐫𝑑 ⋅ 𝐅 𝐶׬‬, where 𝐶 is the semicircle parametrized by
𝐫(𝑡) = 〈cos 𝑡, sin 𝑡〉, 0 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ 𝜋 and 𝐅 = 〈−𝑦, 𝑥〉.

Solution:
𝐅(𝐫 𝑡 ) = ⟨− sin 𝑡 , cos 𝑡⟩
𝐫′ 𝑡 = ⟨− sin 𝑡 , cos 𝑡⟩
Then
VECTOR LINE INTEGRALS
 EXAMPLE
Find the value of integral ‫ 𝑥𝑑 𝑧 𝐶׬‬+ 𝑥𝑑𝑦 + 𝑦𝑑𝑧, where 𝐶 is the curve
parametrised by 𝐫(𝑡) = 〈𝑡 2 , 𝑡, 𝑡〉, 1 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ 4.
Solution:
Using the equation on the previous slide, write everything in terms of 𝑡
PROPERTIES OF LINE INTEGRALS OF VECTOR
FIELDS
The union of 𝐶1 , 𝐶2 , 𝐶3 is a piecewise smooth curve, which we write as 𝐶1 + 𝐶2 + 𝐶3.
PROPERTIES OF VECTOR LINE INTEGRALS
CURVES AND REGIONS
CURVES AND REGIONS
 EXAMPLE
sin(2𝑡)
Is the curve with the parametrisation 𝐫(𝑡) = 〈cos 𝑡 , 〉, 0 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ 2𝜋 a simple closed
2
curve?
Solution:

Note that 𝐫 0 = 1,0 = 𝐫 2𝜋 , therefore its closed. However, it’s not simple. To see
𝜋 3𝜋
this, note that 𝐫 = 0,0 = 𝐫 , and so the curve crosses itself at the origin.
2 2
REGIONS
Not all connected regions are simply
connected.
(a) Simply connected regions have
no holes.
(b) Connected regions that are not
simply connected may have
holes but you can still find a path
in the region between any two
points.
(c) A region that is not connected
has some points that cannot be
connected by a path in the
region.
FUNDAMENTAL THEOREM FOR LINE INTEGRALS
FUNDAMENTAL THEOREM FOR LINE INTEGRALS

The Fundamental Theorem of Calculus can be written as

𝑏
න 𝑓 𝑥 𝑑𝑥 = 𝐹 𝑏 − 𝐹(𝑎)
𝑎

where 𝑓 is continuous on [a, b], 𝐹 ′ (𝑥) = 𝑓(𝑥)

If we think of the gradient vector 𝑓 of a function 𝑓 of two or three
variables as a sort of derivative of 𝑓, then the following theorem can be
regarded as a version of the Fundamental Theorem for line integrals.
FUNDAMENTAL THEOREM FOR LINE INTEGRALS
 EXAMPLE
𝑥2
Calculate integral ‫ 𝐫𝑑 ⋅ 𝐅 𝐶׬‬, where 𝐅 𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧 = ⟨2𝑥 ln 𝑦 , + 𝑧 2 , 2𝑦𝑧⟩ and
𝑦
𝐶 is a curve parametrised by 𝐫(𝑡) = 〈𝑡 2 , 𝑡, 𝑡〉, 1 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ 𝑒
a) Without using the Fundamental Theorem of line Integrals and
b) Using the Fundamental Theorem of line Integrals
 SOLUTION
a) First, lets calculate the integral without using the Fundamental
Theorem of line Integrals
 SOLUTION
𝑒
Integral ‫׬‬1 𝑡 3 ln 𝑡 𝑑𝑡 required integration by parts. Let 𝑢 = ln 𝑡, and
3 1 𝑡4
𝑑𝑣 = 𝑡 . Then d𝑢 = 𝑑𝑡 and 𝑣 = and
𝑡 4

Thus
SOLUTION

b) Given that 𝑓 𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧 = 𝑥 2 ln 𝑦 + 𝑦𝑧 2 is a potential function for 𝐅, lets

use the Fundamental Theorem of line Integrals

This calculation is much more straightforward than the calculation we did

in a). As long as we have a potential function, calculating a line integral
using the Fundamental Theorem for Line Integrals is much easier than
calculating without the theorem.
INDEPENDENCE OF PATH
INDEPENDENCE OF PATH
INDEPENDENCE OF PATH

We can summarize simply: a vector field F on an open and connected

domain is conservative if and only if it is independent of path.

This is important to know because conservative vector fields are

extremely important in applications, and these theorems give us a
different way of viewing what it means to be conservative using path
independence.
 EXAMPLE
Use path independence to show that the vector field 𝐅 𝑥, 𝑦 = ⟨𝑥 2 𝑦, 𝑦 + 5⟩
is not conservative.
Solution:

We can indicate that 𝐅 is not conservative

by showing that 𝐅 is not path independent.
We do so by giving two different paths,
𝐶1 and 𝐶2, that both start at (0,0) and
end at (1,1), but ‫𝐫𝑑 ⋅ 𝐅 𝐶׬ ≠ 𝐫𝑑 ⋅ 𝐅 𝐶׬‬
1 2

Let 𝐶1 be the curve with parametrisation

𝑟1 𝑡 = ⟨𝑡, 𝑡⟩, 0 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ 1,
and 𝐶2 be the curve with parametrisation
𝑟2 𝑡 = ⟨𝑡, 𝑡 2 ⟩, 0 ≤ 𝑡 ≤ 1
Solution (cont’d):
CONSERVATIVE FIELDS AND POTENTIAL FUNCTIONS
EXAMPLE
Find a potential function for 𝐅 𝑥, 𝑦 = ⟨2𝑥𝑦 3 , 3𝑥 2 𝑦 2 + cos 𝑦⟩ thereby
showing that 𝐅 is conservative.

Solution:
Suppose 𝑓 is a potential function. Then ∇𝑓 = ⟨𝑓𝑥 , 𝑓𝑦 ⟩ = 𝐅, and so
𝑓𝑥 = 2𝑥𝑦 3 and 𝑓𝑦 = 3𝑥 2 𝑦 2 + cos 𝑦
Then
𝑓 𝑥, 𝑦 = ‫ ׬ = 𝑥𝑑 𝑥𝑓 ׬‬2𝑥𝑦 3 𝑑𝑥 = 𝑥 2 𝑦 3 + ℎ 𝑦 + 𝐾1
Also
𝑓 𝑥, 𝑦 = ‫ ׬ = 𝑦𝑑 𝑦𝑓 ׬‬3𝑥 2 𝑦 2 + cos 𝑦 𝑑𝑦 = 𝑥 2 𝑦 3 + sin 𝑦 + 𝑔 𝑥 + 𝐾2
The two shold be equal, taking ℎ 𝑦 = sin 𝑦 , 𝑔 𝑥 = 0 and 𝐾1 = 𝐾2 = 𝐾 we get that
any function of the form
𝑓 𝑥, 𝑦 = 𝑥 2 𝑦 3 + sin 𝑦 + 𝐾
is a potential function for 𝐅. Specifically, we can take 𝐾 = 0, and then
𝑓 𝑥, 𝑦 = 𝑥 2 𝑦 3 + sin 𝑦
TESTING A VECTOR FIELD
THEOREM
 EXAMPLE
Determine whether vector field 𝐅 𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧 = ⟨𝑥𝑦 2 𝑧, 𝑥 2 𝑦𝑧, 𝑧 2 ⟩ is conservative.

Solution:
Note that the domain of 𝐅 is all of R3 is simply connected, therefore, we can
use Cross-Partial Property of Conservative Fields to determine whether
𝐅 is conservative. Let
𝑃 𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧 = 𝑥𝑦 2 𝑧, 𝑄 𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧 = 𝑥 2 𝑦𝑧, 𝑅 𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧 = 𝑧 2
Since 𝑄𝑧 = 𝑥 2 𝑦 and 𝑅𝑦 = 0, the vector field is not conservative.
EXAMPLE – APPLICATION OF FUNDAMENTAL
THEOREM OF LINE INTEGRALS
Calculate line integral ‫𝑟𝑑 ⋅ 𝐅 𝐶׬‬, where
𝐅 𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧 = ⟨2𝑥𝑒 𝑦 𝑧 + 𝑒 𝑥 𝑧, 𝑥 2 𝑒 𝑦 𝑧, 𝑥 2 𝑒 𝑦 + 𝑒 𝑥 ⟩
and 𝐶 is any smooth curve that goes from the origin to (1,1,1).

Solution:
First determine whether 𝐅 is conservative and whether the domain of 𝐅 is
simply connected. The domain of 𝐅 is all of R3 , which is simply connected.
Let
𝑃 𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧 = 2𝑥𝑒 𝑦 𝑧 + 𝑒 𝑥 𝑧, 𝑄 𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧 = 𝑥 2 𝑒 𝑦 𝑧, 𝑅(𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧) = 𝑥 2 𝑒 𝑦 + 𝑒 𝑥
so that 𝐅 = ⟨ 𝑃, 𝑄, 𝑅 ⟩ . Since the domain of 𝐅 is simply connected, we can
check the cross partials to determine whether 𝐅 is conservative. Note that
𝑃𝑦 = 2𝑥𝑒 𝑦 𝑧 = 𝑄𝑥
𝑃𝑧 = 2𝑥𝑒 𝑦 + 𝑒 𝑥 = 𝑅𝑥
𝑄𝑧 = 𝑥 2 𝑒 𝑦 = 𝑅𝑦 .
Therefore, 𝐅 is conservative.
Solution (cont’d):

To evaluate ‫ 𝑟𝑑 ⋅ 𝐅 𝐶׬‬using the Fundamental Theorem of Line Integrals, we need to

find potential function 𝑓 for 𝐅, that is function 𝑓 such that ∇𝑓 = F. Then

𝑓𝑥 = 𝑃 = 2𝑥𝑒 𝑦 𝑧 + 𝑒 𝑥 𝑧, 𝑓𝑦 = 𝑄 = 𝑥 2 𝑒 𝑦 𝑧, 𝑓𝑧 = 𝑅 = 𝑥 2 𝑒 𝑦 + 𝑒 𝑥

Integrating, we get

𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧) = ‫ ׬‬2𝑥𝑒 𝑦 𝑧 + 𝑒 𝑥 𝑧 𝑑𝑥 = 𝑥 2 𝑒 𝑦 𝑧 + 𝑒 𝑥 𝑧 + ℎ1 𝑦, 𝑧 + 𝐾1

𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧) = ‫ 𝑥 ׬‬2 𝑒 𝑦 𝑧 𝑑𝑦 = 𝑥 2 𝑒 𝑦 𝑧 + ℎ2 𝑥, 𝑧 + 𝐾2

𝑓(𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧) = ‫ 𝑥 ׬‬2 𝑒 𝑦 + 𝑒 𝑥 𝑑𝑧 = 𝑥 2 𝑒 𝑦 𝑧 + 𝑒 𝑥 𝑧 + ℎ3 𝑥, 𝑦 + 𝐾3

Comparing the three, and taking ℎ2 𝑥, 𝑧 = 𝑒 𝑥 𝑧, ℎ1 𝑦, 𝑧 = ℎ3 𝑥, 𝑦 = 0, and 𝐾1 =

𝐾2 = 𝐾3 = 0, we get the potential function

𝑓 𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧 = 𝑥 2 𝑒 𝑦 𝑧 + 𝑒 𝑥 𝑧

Then using the Fundamental Theorem of Line Integrals

‫ 𝑓 = 𝑟𝑑 ⋅ 𝑓𝛻 𝐶׬ = 𝑟𝑑 ⋅ 𝐅 𝐶׬‬1,1,1 − 𝑓 0,0,0 = 2𝑒
 This OpenStax ancillary resource is © Rice University under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
International license; it may be reproduced or modified for noncommercial purposes
only but must be attributed to OpenStax, Rice University and any changes must be
noted. Any adaptation must be shared under the same type of license.

The resource has been modified by Nargiz Sultanova. Some figures and text from the
textbook Calculus III by E. J Herman and G. Strang and other sources have been
added.