Vector Calculus - GATE Study Material in

PDF
In previous articles, we have already seen the basics of Calculus Differentiation and
Integration and all the applications of these. In these free GATE Study Notes, we will be
introduced to Vector Calculus. A vector has both magnitude and direction whereas a
scalar has only magnitude. Let us now see how to perform certain operations on
vectors.
These GATE study material are useful for GATE EC, GATE EE, GATE ME, GATE CS, GATE
CE and all other branches. Also useful for exams such as BARC, BSNL, DRDO, IES, ISRO
etc. You can have these notes downloaded as PDF so that your exam preparation is made
easy and you ace your paper. Before you get started, go through the basics of
Engineering Mathematics.

Recommended Reading
Types of Matrices
Properties of Matrices
Rank of a Matrix & Its Properties
Solution of a System of Linear Equations
Eigen Values & Eigen Vectors
Linear Algebra Revision Test 1
Laplace Transforms
Limits, Continuity & Differentiability
Mean Value Theorems
Differentiation
Partial Differentiation
Maxima and Minima
Methods of Integration & Standard Integrals
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Dot Product
= b1 i + b2 j + b3 k are two constant vectors.
Let a = a1 i + a2 j + a3 k , b
Then Dot Product of two vectors is given by
a. b = |a||b| cos where = angle between a, b.

Note:
1. i i = j j = k k = 1 ( = 00 )
2. i j = j k = k i = 0 ( = 900 )
3. Magnitude of Vector a = |a| = a21 + a22 + a23

b
a

4. Angle between two vectors = cos1 |a||b|

5. Also, cos =

l1 l2 +m1 m2 +n1 n2
l21 +m21 +n21

l22 +m22 +n22

m m2

1
6. If slopes are given and angle between two curves is then tan = 1+m

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1 m2

 = 0 Vectors are orthogonal ( = 90)

7. If a b
8. If a b = |a||b| Vectors are parallel ( = 0 )

Cross Product
If a and b are two vectors then then cross product between two vectors is given by
= |a||b
| sin n where n = unit vector normal to both a and b

a b

Note:
1. i i = j j = k k = 0
2. i j = j k = k i = 1

( = 00 )
( = 900 )

3. Angle between two vectors is then sin =

|ab|
|a||b|

4. If a = a1 i + a2 j + a3 k and b = b1 i + b2 j + b3 k
then cross product between two vectors
i
j
k

can be calculated as a b = |a1 a2 a3 |

b1 b2 b3
= i(a2 b3 a3 b2 ) j(a1 b3 a3 b1 ) + k(a1 b2 a2 b1 )
5. Geometrically cross product gives the area of triangle
are two sides of triangle then area of the triangle is 1 |AB
AC
|
6. If
AB , AC
2

Triple Product
1. Geometrically Triple Product gives the Volume of Tetrahedron
a1 b1 c1
c) = (a b
) c = [a b c] = |a2 b2 c2 |
a (b
a3 b3 c3
c) = 0 Vector are coplanar vectors
2. If a (b

Derivative of a Vector
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Let r = f(t) be a position vector where t is a scalar variable.

r + r = f(t + t)
r = f(t + (t) f(t)
lim

t0 t

f(t+(t)f(t)

dr

dx = lim f

is called

dr
dt

(t+t)f(t)

t0

Vector differentiation is nothing but ordinary differentiation but only difference is r is

position vector.

Formulae:
d

B
B
)= A

1. dt (A
dt
dt

d
B) = A dB dA B Where A = A(t) and B = B(t)
2. dt (A
dt
dt

d
B) = A dB dA B
3. dt (A
dt
dt

Vector Operator ( - Del)

= i + j + k is called vector operator

x
y
z

Gradient
If (x, y, z) be a given scalar function then is called gradient.
= i + j + k

x
y
z

Note:
1. Physically, gradient gives rate of change of w.r.t x, y, z separately.
2. Geometrically, it gives normal to the level surface.

Example 1:
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 .
If = xyz then find the value of

Solution:
= i (xyz) + j (xyz) + k (xyz)
x
y
z
= iyz + jxz + kxy

Note:
r

1. (log r) = r2
r

2. (sin r) = cos r |r|

r

(r n ) = n r n1
r = n r n1 = n r n2 r
3.
|r|
4. Let (x,y,z) = c be given equation of the level surface then the outward unique

= = Grad()
normal vector is defined as N
|
|Grad()|
|

Example 2:
for the sphere x 2 + y 2 + z 2 = 9.
Find the value of unit normal vector N

Solution:
= x 2 + y 2 +z 2 9
= i(2x) + j(2y) + k(2z)

| = 2x 2 + y 2 + z 2
|

= =
N
|
|

xi+yj+zk
x2 +y2 +z2

xi+yj+zk
3

Angle between Two Surfaces

Let 1(x,y,z) = C, 2(x,y,z) = C be given equations of two level surfaces and angle

between these two surfaces are given as then cos = |1 || 2|

1

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Note:
The angle between two surfaces is nothing but the angle between their normal.
1 .
2 = 0 then they are said to be orthogonal surfaces

Example 3:
The angle between the two surfaces x 2 + y 2 + z 2 = 9 and z = x 2 + y 2 3 at the point
(2, 1, 2) is

Solution:
Here 1 = x 2 + y 2 + z 2 9
1 = i(2x) + j(2y) + k(2z) |
1 | = 2x 2 + y 2 + z 2 = 29 = 6

2 = x 2 + y 2 z 3
2 = i(2x) + j(2y) k |
2 | = 4x 2 + 4y 2 + 1 = 21

cos = | 1||2 | =
1

(4x2 +4y2 2z)

621

16+44
621

= 321

Directional Derivatives of a Scalar Function

The directional derivative of a scalar function (x, y, z) in the direction of a vector a is

a
given as e where e = |a |

If e is ve then it is in the opposite direction.

Example 4:
The Directional derivative of f(x, y, z) = x 2 yz + 4xz 2 at (1, 2, 1)along (2i j 2k) is

Solution:
= i[(2xyz) + 4z 2 ] + j[x 2 z] + k[x 2 y + 8xz]
Directional Derivative = e
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(2ij2k)
At (1, 2, 1)we have e = [4 + 4]i + (j) + k[2 8]
3

16
3

+3+

20
3

37
3

Divergence of a Vector
is a vector point function then
F
is called Divergence of F

If F
Where = F1 i + F2 j + F3 k and F1 , F2 , F3 are the functions of x, y, z

F = [i x + j y + k z] [F1 i + F2 j + F3 k]

F = F1 + F2 + F3
x
y
z

Note:
1. Divergence of a vector is scalar.
2. Physically Divergence measures (outflow - inflow)
3. A vector whose divergence is zero then it is said to be divergence free vector (or)
solenoid vector i.e. outflow = inflow = constant
4. Geometrically, Divergence gives the rate at which the fluid entering in a rectangular
parallelepiped per unit volume at the point.

Curl of a Vector
F is called the curl of a vector where F = F1 i + F2 j + F3 k
i

F
=|

F1

F2

F3

| = i ( x3

F2

) j ( x3
z

F1

(F2 F1 )
)
+
k
z
x
y

Note:
1. If F = 0 then it is said to be irrational vector otherwise it is said to be rotational
vector.
1
V
)
2. Physically Curl gives the angular Velocity w
= (
2

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3. Divergence of a curl of any vector is always zero.

. (
) =
2
4.
F) = 0
5. (
F) = (
F) 2 F
6. (
C )B
. B )C
is known as a vector triple product.
C ) = (A
(A
7. A (B

Example 5:
The values of a, b, c so that the vector,
V = (x + 2y + az)i + (bx 3y z)j + (4x + cy + 2z)k is irrotational

Solution:
Given, that vector V is irrotational
V = 0
i
=|

(x + 2y + az)

(bx 3y z)

(4x + cy + 2z)

i(c + 1) + j(4 a) + k(b 2) = 0

c = 1, a = 4, b = 2
a = 4, b = 2, c = 1
So far we have seen about basic terminology in vector calculus and in the next article we
will discuss about integration in vectors. Also we will discuss some important theorems
which will convert one form of integral into another form of integral.

Did you like this article on Vector Calculus? Let us know in the comments? You may also
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