4.

2 Unit Tangent and Normal

Vectors
4.2.1 Vector Derivatives
Definition 4.3
The derivative F of a vector F is defined
as:

(t t) F (t)
F
dF
F (t) lim
t 0
dt
t
where F (t) f (t), g(t), h(t)

Theorem 4.2
The vector function
~
~
~

F (t) f (t)i g(t) j h(t)k is

differentiable whenever the component
functions f(t), g(t) and h(t) are all
differentiable.

~
~
~

F (t) f (t)i g(t) j h(t)k

1

Example 4.6

d
(3i
dt

sin t j )

cos t j

d
(3t 2 i cos 4t j te t k )
dt
6ti 4 sin 4t j (e t

te t )k

4.2.2 Tangent Vectors

Definition 4.4a Tangent vector
Suppose F (t) is differentiable at t0 and that

F (t0 ) 0 . Then F (t0 ) is defined to be a

tangent vector to the graph of F (t) at the
point where t = t0.

Definition 4.4b Unit tangent

vector
If F (t) is a vector function that defines a
smooth graph, then at each point a unit
tangent is

T(t )

F (t )
F (t )

and the principal unit normal vector is

N (t )

T (t )
T (t )
3

Unit tangent vectors change direction along

the curve, but always have length 1.

Definition 4.5 Smooth curve

The graph of the vector function defined
by F (t) is said to be smooth on any interval
of t where F (t) is continuous and F (t) 0 .

A curve that is
smooth has a
continuous
turning tangent

A curve that is not

smooth can have
sharp points.
Note that this
graph is piecewise
smooth

Example 4.6a
Find the tangent vector for

r (t )

cos 2t, sin 2t

and sketch the curve, the position vector

and tangent vector at t
.
4

Example 4.6b
Find the unit tangent vector T (t) and the
principal unit normal vector N (t) at each
point on the graph of the vector function

~
t~
t ~

R(t) e i e j 2t k
In particular find T (1) and N (1) .

Solution
t
t

R
(
t
)

e
,

e
, 2 has
The derivative,

length

(t )
R

(et )2

( e t )2

( 2)2

e2t e2t 2 (et et )2

et et
Thus,

T(t )

(t )
R
(t )
R

et i

e tj
et

2k
t

So,

~
~ 1 ~
e i e j 2k

T (1)
e1 e1
~
~
~
0.88i 0.12 j 0.46k
1

To compute unit normal N (t) , first find

T (t) :
t
t t
t t
t
(
e

e
)
e

e
(
e

e
)~

T (t)
i
t
t 2
(e e )

(et et )et et (et et ) ~

j
t
t 2
(e e )
t
t 2 t
t ~
2 (e e ) (e e )k
~ ~
t
t ~
2i 2 j 2 (e e )k

t
t 2
(e e )
2

T (t )

2
(et

2e
4 2e
(et e t )2

t 2

2(e
e )
e t )2
2t

2(et e t )2
(e t e t )2

2
t t
(e e )
10

So, the unit normal is

2i
N (t )

T (t )
T (t )

2j
(e t
et

2(e t e t )k
e t )2
2
e t

~ ~
t
t ~
2i 2 j 2 (e e )k

2 (et et )
In particular,

~ ~
1 ~
2i 2 j 2 (e e )k

N (1)
2 (e e1)
~
~
~
0.46 i 0.46 j 0.76k

11

Example 4.6c
Find the unit normal vector for the vector
valued function

r (t )

ti

t2 j

and sketch the curve, the unit tangent and

unit normal vectors when t = 1.

12

Solution

T
T (1)

i 2t j
,
1 4t 2
1
i
5

2 ,
j N (1)
5

2ti j
1 4t 2
2
i
5

1
j
5

The picture below shows the graph and

the two vectors.

13

Example 4.7
Find parametric equations for the tangent
line to the curve

x t 2 1, y t 2 1, z t 1
at the point (1, 1, 1).

Solution

Determine the vector equation:

~
~
~
2
2

F (t) (t 1)i (t 1) j (t 1)k

~
~ ~

The derivative: F (t) 2t i 2t j k

Point (1, 1, 1) corresponds to t = 0.

Vector tangent at t = 0 is

~ ~ ~

F (0) 0i 0 j k 0, 0, 1

14

Parametric equations:

x 1 0t

x 1

y 1 0t

y 1

z 1 1t

z 1 t

4.2.3 Higher Vector Derivatives

Higher derivatives of a vector function F
are obtained by successively differentiating
the components of

~
~
~

F (t) f (t)i g(t) j h(t)k .

The second derivative of F is the function

~
~
~

F (t) F (t) f (t) i g(t) j h(t)k

and the third derivative F (t) is the
derivative of F (t) and so forth.

15

Example 4.8
2t ~
2t ~
2t ~

Let F (t) e i e j te k . Find

(i) unit tangent vector T (0)
(ii)

F (0)

(iii) F (t) F (t)

16

Theorem 4.3 Differentiation rules

Suppose F and G are differentiable vector
functions and c is a scalar and f is a real
valued function. Then

d
(t)] F (t) G (t)
[
F
(
t
)

G
i. dt

d
(t)
[
c
F
(
t
)]

c
F
ii. dt
d
(t)] f (t)F (t) f (t)F (t)
[
f
(
t
)
F
iii. dt
iv.

d
[F (t) G (t)] F (t) G (t) F (t) G (t)
dt
v.

d
[F (t) G (t)] F (t) G (t) F (t) G (t)
dt
d
( f (t))

[
F
(
f
(
t
)]

f
(
t
)
F
vi. dt
, chain rule
17

Example 4.9
~ 1 ~
2 ~

Let F (t) (3 t ) i (cos 3t) j t k

~ 2t ~

and G(t) sin(2 t) i e k . Find

(a) (3F 2G )(t)
(b) (F G )(t)

18

Likewise, we can obtained the partial

derivatives of a multivariable vector
function.
Suppose

(t )
R

f (t )i

g(t )j

h(t )k

is a differentiable functions of n variables,

t1, t2, , tn . Then, the partial derivative of

R (t) is
t1

tn

(t )
R

f
i
t1

g
j
t1

(t )
R

f
i
tn

g
j
tn

h
k
t1
h
k
tn

and

(t )
R
t1 tm
2

f
i
t1 tm

g
j
t1 tm

h
k
t1 tm

19

Example 4.9a
(u, v )
Let R

2uvi

(u 2

2v)j

v 2 )k .

(u

R R R
Find the partial derivatives u , v , u 2 ,
2R
2R
2 and
v
uv .
2

20

4.2.4 Vector Integrals

~
~
~

Let F (t) f (t)i g(t) j h(t)k where f,

gand h are continous functions for
a t b) . Then,
(i) the definite integral of F (t) is the vector
function
b
b

~
~

a F (t) dt a f (t) dt i a g(t) dt j

b

b
~
h(t) dt k
a

(ii) the indefinite integral of F (t) is the

vector function

(t) dt f (t) dt i g(t) dt j

F

h(t) dt k

21

Example 4.10
Find

~
~ ~
(i) [cos(t) i sin(t) j t k ] dt
2

~
~
4 ~
2
(ii) [(1 t ) i 4t j (t 1) k ] dt
2

Solution

~
~ ~
(i) [cos(t) i sin(t) j t k ] dt

sin( t)

cos( t)

t2
j k C
2

22

(ii) [(1 t 2) i 4t 4 j (t 2 1) k ] dt
1
2

t ~ 4t ~ t
~
t i j t k
3 1
5 1
3 1
3

14 4 ~ 128 4 ~ 2 (2) ~

i
j
k

3
5
3

10 ~ 124 ~ 4 ~
i
j k
3
5
3

23

4.2.5 Arc Length and Curvature

Arc Length
Arc length is the actual length of a curve
over a certain interval.
Time t is the most natural parameter
for studying motion along a curve.
Sometimes, it is more convenient to
use arc length as a parameter.
Vector valued function describe not
just the path of the particle, but also
how the particle is moving.
If the particle travels at the constant rate
of one unit per second, then we say that
the curve is parameterized by arc
length.

24

Recall arc length of one variable function:

25

Definition 4.6 Arc length

Let r (t )

f (t )i

g(t )j

h(t )k be a

differentiable vector valued function on

[a, b]. Then the arc length s is defined by
b

[ f (t )]2

[g (t )]2

[h (t )]2 dt

a
b

dx
dt

dy
dt

dz
dt

dt

In a more compact form:

b

r (t ) dt
a

By FTC,

ds
dt

r (t )

26

Example 4.11
Find the length of the given curve:
r (t )

t 2i

2tj

ln tk ,

Solution
The derivative

r (t )

2ti

1
tk

2j

has length

r (t )

1
for 1
t

2t

Thus,
e

arc length, s

2t

1
t dt

ln t

e
1

(e 2

1)

(1

0)

e2

27

Example 4.11a
Reparametrize the curve with respect to
arc length measured from the point where
t
0 in the direction of increasing t:
r (t )

2t )i

(1

t )j

(3

5tk

Solution
r (t )

2i

ds
dt

r (t )

5k
4

25

30

So,

s(t )

30t

t(s )

2
s )i
30

(3

1
s
30

Thus,

r (s )

(1

1
s )j
30

5
sk
30

28

Curvature
Consider a car driving along a curvy road.
The tighter the curve, the more difficult
the driving is. The number curvature,
describes this tightness.
If the curvature is zero then the curve
looks like a line near this point.
If the curvature is a large number, then
the curve has a sharp bend.
For a curve C, the curvature is a measure
of how sharply the curve is bending.
Basic idea: we want to know how fast
the direction of the unit tangent vector is
changing as we move along the curve.
Parametrize the curve w.r.t.arc length

29

More formally, if T (t ) is the unit tangent

vector function then the curvature is
defined as the rate at which the unit
tangent vector changes with respect to arc
length.
Definition 4.7 Curvature
If T is the unit vector of a smooth curve,
the curvature function of the curve is
1.

2. (t )

dT
ds
T (t )
r (t )

r (t )

r (t )

3.

r (t )

30

As P moves along the curve in the direction of

increasing arc length, the unit tangent vector
dT
turns. The value of
at P is called the
ds
curvature of the curve at P.

Along a straight line,

T always point in the
same direction. The
dT
curvature
, is
ds
zero.
31

Example 4.12
Find the curvature at
r (t )

if
1
t j

cos ti

sin tk

Solution
Take derivatives:
r (t )
r (t )

1
2 j
t
2
cos ti
3 j
t

sin ti

Substituting t
r
r

2
2

cos tk
sin tk

gives

16
3

j
k

32

Now take the cross product to get

i
r

j
4

k
0

16

4
2

16
3

Finally, we plug this information into the

curvature formula to get

16
4

256

16

0.952

33

Torsion and Binormal Vector

Binormal vector, B T N
T , N and B define a moving right
handed vector frame, called Frenet frame
or TNB frame
play a role in calculating the paths of
particles moving in space
Torsion,

dB
N
ds

measures how the curve twist

34

Example 4.12a
Suppose a curve is determined by
r (t )

sin 2ti

cos 2tj

tk

Find the unit tangent vector, the principal

normal vector, the curvature and the
binormal vector for the curve.

35

Example 4.12b
Suppose a curve is determined by
r (t )

t 2i

2tj

ln tk

Find the unit tangent vector, the principal

normal vector, the curvature and the
binormal vector for the curve.

36

4.3 Motion in Space: Velocity and

Acceleration
Suppose an object is moving in 3-D so that its
position vector at time t is given by r (t ).
The velocity vector for the object at time t
is given by the derivative

v (t )

lim
t

r (t

t)
t

r (t )

r (t )

velocity vector = tangent vector, and points in

the direction of the tangent line

v (t )
Direction of motion is
v (t )
The speed of the object at time t is the
magnitude of the velocity.

v (t )

37

v (t )

ds
dt

r (t )

= rate of change of distance

w.r.t. time
The acceleration vector for the object at
time t is the derivative of the velocity.

a (t )

v (t )

r (t )

Example 4.13
Given r (t )
t , t 2 , t 3 . Find the velocity,
acceleration and speed of r (t ).

Solution

v (t )

r (t )

1, 2t , 3t 2

Acceleration, a (t )

v (t )

0, 2, 6t

Velocity,

Speed,

v (t )

4t 2

9t 4
38

Example 4.13a
A particles position at time t is
determined by the vector

r (t )

cos t i

sin t j

t3 k .

Find the particles velocity, speed,

direction and acceleration at t = 2.

39

Example 4.14
Find the velocity and position vectors with
acceleration vector, initial velocity and
position given as follows:

a (t )

and

10k

v (0)

r (0)

2i

k
3j

40