Vector Functions,

Differentiation and Integration

Vector Calculus Part 2

by: W. Rada

Vector Function
Vector Function vector whose components
are functions of a scalar variable
For any value for the variable t, there is a
vector V defined by:

V(t) = V1(t)i + V2(t)j + V3(t)k

V is called a vector valued function.

Derivatives of Sum/Difference
and Scalar and Dot Products
If and, U and V are scalar and vector functions,
respectively, of the same variable t:
d (U V )
dU dV
=

dt
dt
dt
d ( V )
d
dV
=
V+
dt
dt
dt
d ( UV )
dU
dV
=
V + U
dt
dt
dt

Derivatives of Cross, Triple

Scalar and Triple Vector Products
If U, V and W are vector functions of the same scalar
variable t:

d U V dU
dV

V U
dt
dt
dt
d UVW dU
dW
dV

VW U
W UV
dt
dt
dt
dt

d U V W dU
dW
dV

V W U
W U V

dt
dt
dt
dt

Scalar Fields
If to each point (x,y,z) of a region in space,
there is made to correspond a number f(x,y,z),
we say that f is a scalar field.
Examples:
mass density of the atmosphere
gravitational potential of points in
astronomical space

Vector Fields
If to each point (x,y,z) there is a vector F(x,y,z) associated
with it, then F is a vector field.
If F is a vector valued function defined in R3 with
F(x,y,z) = U(x,y,z)i +V(x,y,z)j + W(x,y,z)k,
then F defines a vector field.

Examples:

Instantaneous velocity of the fluid at every point

Electric field intensity vector

The Operator
Known as del or nabla, defined as:

i j k
x
y
z
When applied to a scalar field (x,y,z), the resultant is called the
gradient of , (grad ) a vector quantity.
Thus,
Notes:

=grad = i+ y + k
x
y
z

can be read as del phi or nabla phi.

grad can be read as grad phi

We can perform an "operation" between the del operator as

if it's a vector, to another vector F=F1i + F2j+F3k, in two
ways:

F1 F2 F3
F=
+
+
x y z

x F=
x
F1

y
F2

z
F3

(divergence of F or div F)

(curl of F or curl F)

Laplacian Operator
The Laplace operator , or simply Laplacian acts
on a scalar function as follows:
2
2
2

=( )= = 2 + 2 +
2
x y z
2

If satisfies the Laplace equation, =0, then

is called a harmonic function.
We encounter harmonic functions in geodesy!, heat
transfer, acoustics, EM radiation, etc.

Line, Surface & Volume Integrals

Let F(x,y) be a function of x and y and let C
be a continuous, sectionally smooth curve
joining the points A and B. Furthermore, let
the arc of C between A and B be divided
into n segments si whose projections on
the x- and y-axes are xi & yi respectively,
and let (i,i) be the coordinates of an
arbitrary point in the segment si

Line Integrals
If we evaluate F at each point (i,i) & form
the products:
F(i,i)xi F(i,i)yi

F(i,i)si

and then sum over all subdivisions of the

curve AB and let xi , yi , si approach 0,
we have the following line integrals:

F (x , y)dx , F ( x , y)dy , F (x , y)ds

Paboritong Example: Work

Work done = force x distance

Line Integrals In Vector Fields

Let C be a curve in R3 having parametric representation
r(t) = x(t) i + y(t) j + z(t) k,
and let F be a vector field defined by
F(t) = F1i + F2j + F3k
A line integral of the vector function F(r) over the curve
C is defined by:

F (r)d r

a F (r (t ))r ' (t )dt

(F 1 dx+ F2 dy +F 3 dz)

a (F 1 x ' + F2 y ' + F 3 z ')dt

r '=d r / dt

Example
1. Find the work done by a force field F = (x2 + y2)i

+ (3x2y)j in moving a particle from (-1,1) to (2,4)

along the parabola y = x2.

2. A particle traverses the twisted cubic r(t) = ti + t2j

+ t3k, 0t1. If the motion is caused by a force
field F(x, y, z) = exi +xezj + xsin y2 k, find the
work done by the field on the particle.

Answers:
1. 363/5
2. (5/3)(e-1) + 3/(2)

Path Independent Line Integrals

a line integral whose value depend only on
the integrand and the limits of integration P1
and P2, and not on the path taken from P1 to
P2