MODULE -V

Vector Calculus
 Divergence
 In vector calculus, divergence measures the
magnitude of a vector field's source or sink at a given
point, in terms of a signed scalar.
 The divergence represents the rate of outflow per
unit volume at a point of the fluid.

GCET Greater Noida Mathematics I

04/04/2025 KAS 103T 2020-21 2
 Divergence
 If F = P i + Q j +R k is a vector field
and ∂P/∂x, ∂Q/∂y, and ∂R/∂z exist,
the divergence of F is the function of three
variables defined by:

div F F
         
   i   j  k  .  Pi  Qj  Rk 
  x   y   z  
P Q R
  
x y z
GCET Greater Noida Mathematics I
04/04/2025 KAS 103T 2020-21 3
 Divergence
 In terms of the gradient operator

       k
   i   y  j   
 x     z 

 The divergence of F can be written symbolically as the

dot product as

div F F

GCET Greater Noida Mathematics I

04/04/2025 KAS 103T 2020-21 4
Physical Interpretation of Divergence

04/04/2025 GCET Greater Noida Mathematics I 5

04/04/2025 GCET Greater Noida Mathematics I 6
 Curl
Definition:

curl F F

i j k
  

x y z
P Q R
 R Q    P R   Q P  
   i    j   k
 y z   z x   x y 
GCET Greater Noida Mathematics I
04/04/2025 KAS 103T 2020-21 7
Physical Interpretation of Curl
Consider a rigid body rotating about a fixed axis
through O with uniform angular velocity
 1 i  2 j  3 k
The velocity V of any point P (x, y, z) on the body is
given by
V  r

where r  xi  y j  zk is called the position vector
of P

04/04/2025 GCET Greater Noida Mathematics I 8

 i j k
V  r  1  2 3
x y z

2 z  2 y i  3 x  1 z  j  1 y   2 x  k

i j k
  
 curl V 
x y z
2 z  2 y 3 x  1 z 1 y   2 x
2(1 i  2 j  3 k) 2
The curl signifies the angular velocity at any point is
equal to the half the curl of the linear velocity at that
point of the body.
04/04/2025 GCET Greater Noida Mathematics I 9
 Solved examples
Example. Find the divergence and curl of the vector
V ( xyz )i  (3 x 2 y ) j  ( xz 2  y 2 z ) k at the point (2,-1,1).
  
Solution: div V  ( xyz )  (3 x 2 y )  ( xz 2  y 2 z )
x y z
 yz  3 x 2  2 xz  y 2  1  12  4  1 14 at (2,-1,1).
i j k
  
curl V 
x y z
xyz 3 x 2 y xz 2  y 2 z
i (  2 yz  0)  j ( xy  z 2 )  k(6 xy  xz )
2i  3 j  4k at (2,-1,1).

04/04/2025 GCET Greater Noida Mathematics I KAS 103T 2020-21 10

04/04/2025 GCET Greater Noida Mathematics I 11
04/04/2025 GCET Greater Noida Mathematics I 12
 FAQ on divergence and curl
1. If F = xz3 i- 2x2yz j+2yz4 k. Find the divergence and curl
of the vector field F. [UPTU
2007]
Ans: div F = z3-2x2z+8yz3,

curl F = 2(x2y+z4) i +3xz2 j - 4 xyz k.

2. If F = x2y i - 2xy j+(y2-xy) k. Find the divergence and curl
of the vector field F. [UPTU
2007]
Ans: div F = z3-2x2z+8yz3,
curl F = 2(x2y+z4) i
+3xz2 j - 4 xyz k.
3. Find the divergence and curl
GCET Greater Noida
of the vector field F. If F =
Mathematics I
exyz (xy2 i + yz
04/04/2025 j+zx22020-21
2 103T
KAS k) at (1,2 3). [UPTU 2006] 14
 Points to be noted:
If curl F = 0 then F is called an irrotational
vector.
If F is irrotational, then there exists a scalar point
function ɸ such that F=∇ɸ where ɸ is called the
scalar potential of F.
The work done in moving an object from point
A to B in an irrotational field is
[∅]𝐵 𝐴 = ɸ(B)- ɸ(A).
The curl signifies the angular velocity at any
point is equal to the half the curl of the linear
velocity at that point of the body.
GCET Greater Noida Mathematics I
04/04/2025 KAS 103T 2020-21 15
 Solenoidal and Irrotational Fields
 The field with null divergence is called solenoidal,
and the field with null-curl is called irrotational
field.

 The divergence of the curl of any vector field A

must be zero, i.e.
∇· (∇×A)=0
 This shows that a solenoidal field can be expressed

in terms of the curl of another vector field or that a

curly field must be a solenoidal field.
GCET Greater Noida Mathematics I
04/04/2025 KAS 103T 2020-21 16
 Solenoidal and Irrotational Fields

The curl of the gradient of any scalar field ɸ must be

∇× ሺ ∇∅ሻ = 0
zero , i.e. ,

 Which shows that an irrotational field can be

expressed in terms of the gradient of another scalar

field ,or a gradient field must be an irrotational field.

GCET Greater Noida Mathematics I

04/04/2025 KAS 103T 2020-21 17
FAQ on Solenoidal & Irrotational field
1. Prove that (y2-z2 +3yz-2x) i +(3xz+2xy) j +(3xy-2xz
+2z) k is both solenoidal and irrotational.
[UPTU 2009]

2. A vector field is given by (x2 + x - y2) i - (2xy + y) j.

Show that field is irrotational and find the scalar
potential. Ans: x3/3 –xy2 +(x2-y2)/2 + c.
[GBTU 2010, MTU
2013] GCET Greater Noida Mathematics I
04/04/2025 KAS 103T 2020-21 24
 Recap

Gradient
Divergence
Curl
Physical interpretation
Discussion on assignments

GCET Greater Noida Mathematics I

04/04/2025 KAS 103T 2020-21 25
 Vector identities
1 𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐝 (𝒂 ሬԦ) = 𝒂
ሬԦ.𝒃 ሬԦ × 𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒍 ሬ𝒃 ሬԦ× 𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒍 𝒂
Ԧ+𝒃 ሬԦ+ (𝒂 ሬԦ+ (𝒃
ሬԦ.𝛁)𝒃 ሬԦ.𝛁)𝒂
ሬԦ
2. ሬԦis vector function and u is scalar function then
If 𝒂
div (u 𝒂 ሬԦ+ ሺ 𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒅 𝒖ሻ .𝒂
ሬԦ) = 𝒖 𝒅𝒊𝒗 𝒂 ሬԦ [UPTU 2006]

3. ሬԦ × ሬ𝒃
div (𝒂 ሬԦ.𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒍 𝒂
Ԧ) =𝒃 ሬԦ.𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒍 ሬ𝒃
ሬԦ- 𝒂 Ԧ

4. ሬԦis vector function and u is scalar function then

If 𝒂
𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒍 ሺ 𝒖𝒂
ሬԦሻ = 𝒖 𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒍 𝒂
ሬԦ + (𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒅 𝒖) × 𝒂
ሬԦ

5. ሬԦ × ሬ𝒃
𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒍 ൫𝒂 ሬԦ 𝒅𝒊𝒗 ሬ𝒃
Ԧ൯ = 𝒂 Ԧ− ሬ𝒃
Ԧ𝒅𝒊𝒗 𝒂 ሬԦ.𝛁)𝒂
ሬԦ+ (𝒃 ሬԦ-(𝒂 ሬሬሬԦ
ሬԦ.𝛁)𝒃.

6. 𝒅𝒊𝒗 ሺ 𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒅 ∅ሻ = 𝛁𝟐𝑽.

7. ሬԦ.
𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒍 ሺ 𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒅 ∅ሻ = 𝛁 × 𝛁∅ = 𝟎

8. 𝒅𝒊𝒗 ൫𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒍 ሬ𝑽 ሬሬሬሬԦ

Ԧ൯ = 𝛁.(𝛁× 𝑽 )=𝟎

9. 𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒍 ൫𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒍 ሬ𝑽
Ԧ൯ = 𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒅 ൫𝒅𝒊𝒗 ሬ𝑽
Ԧ൯ − 𝛁𝟐ሬ𝑽
Ԧ

GCET Greater Noida Mathematics I

04/04/2025 KAS 103T 2020-21 26
04/04/2025 GCET Greater Noida Mathematics I 27
04/04/2025 GCET Greater Noida Mathematics I 28
04/04/2025 GCET Greater Noida Mathematics I 29
04/04/2025 GCET Greater Noida Mathematics I 30
 FAQ on vector identities
∇2𝑓ሺ 𝑟ሻ = 𝑓′′ (𝑟) + 𝑓′(𝑟).
2
1. Prove that 𝑟 Hence evaluate
∇2 log𝑟,𝑖𝑓 𝑟 = ඥ 𝑥2 + 𝑦2 + 𝑧2.

[UKTU 2010, GBTU

2012]

2. Show that the vector field F = r/r3 is irrotational as

well as solenoidal. Find the scalar potential.
[UPTU 2006].
GCET Greater Noida Mathematics I
04/04/2025 KAS 103T 2020-21 31