Let \({\bf F} = 2yz{\bf i} + (-x + 3y + 2){\bf j} + (x^2 + z){\bf k}\). Evaluate \({\intop\!\!\!\intop}_S\,({\nabla}\times {\bf F}) {\,{{\cdot}}\,} {\,d} {\bf S}\), where \(S\) is the cylinder \(x^2 + y^2 = a^2\), \(0 \le z \le 1\) (without the top and bottom). What if the top and bottom are included?
Let \({W}\) be a region in \({\mathbb R}^3\) with boundary \(\partial\!{W}\). Prove the identity \begin{eqnarray*} &&\intop\!\!\!\intop\nolimits_{\!{\partial\! {W}}} [{\bf F}\times ({\nabla} \times {\bf G})] \,{\cdot}\, {\,d} S = \intop\!\!\!\intop\!\!\!\intop\nolimits_{{W}} ({\nabla} \times {\bf F}) \,{\cdot}\, ({\nabla} \times {\bf G}) {\,d} V \\ &&\quad {-}\,\intop\!\!\!\intop\!\!\!\intop\nolimits_{\! {W}} {\bf F} {\,{\cdot}\,} ({\nabla}\times {\nabla} \times {\bf G}){\,d} V.\\[-13pt] \end{eqnarray*}
Let \({\bf F} = x^2 y{\bf i} +z^8{\bf j} - 2xyz{\bf k}\). Evaluate the integral of \({\bf F}\) over the surface of the unit cube.
Verify Green’s theorem for the line integral \[ \int_C x^2 y\, {\it {\,d} x} + y\, {\it dy}, \] when \(C\) is the boundary of the region between the curves \(y = x\) and \(y = x^3,\ 0 \le x \le 1\).
Can you derive Green’s theorem in the plane from Gauss’ theorem?
Let \({\bf r}(x,y,z) = (x,y,z), r = \|{\bf r}\|\). Show that \({\nabla}^2 (\log r) = 1/r^2\) and \({\nabla}^2(r^n) = n(n+1)r^{n-2}\).
Let the velocity of a fluid be described by \({\bf F} = 6xz{\bf i}+ x^2y{\bf j} + yz{\bf k}\). Compute the rate at which fluid is leaving the unit cube.
Let \({\bf F} = x^2{\bf i} + (x^2 y - 2xy){\bf j} - x^2z{\bf k}\). Does there exist a \({\bf G}\) such that \({\bf F}= {\nabla} \times {\bf G}\)?
Let \({\bf a}\) be a constant vector and \({\bf F} = {\bf a} \times {\bf r}\) [as usual, \({\bf r}(x,y,z)= (x,y,z)\)]. Is \({\bf F}\) conservative? If so, find a potential for it.
Show that the fields \({\bf F}\) in (a) and (b) are conservative and find a function \(f\) such that \({\bf F} = {\bf V}f\).
491
Using Green’s theorem, or otherwise, evaluate \(\int_C x^3 {\it dy} - y^3{\it {\,d} x}\), where \(C\) is the unit circle \((x^2 + y^2=1)\).
Evaluate the integral \({\intop\!\!\!\intop}_S{\bf F}{\,{\cdot}\,} {\,d} {\bf S}\), where \({\bf F} = x{\bf i} + y{\bf j} + 3{\bf k}\) and where \(S\) is the surface of the unit sphere \(x^2 + y^2 + z^2 =1\).
Use Green’s theorem to find the area of the loop of the curve \(x = a\sin\theta\cos\theta, y = a \sin^2\theta\), for \(a > 0\) and \(0 \le \theta \le \pi\).
Evaluate \(\int_Cy z\, {\it {\,d} x} + x z\, {\it dy} +xy{\,d} z\), where \(C\) is the curve of intersection of the cylinder \(x^2 + y^2 = 1\) and the surface \(z = y^2\).
Evaluate \(\int_C(x+y)\,{\it {\,d} x} + (2x - z)\,{\it dy} + (y+z){\,d} z\), where \(C\) is the perimeter of the triangle connecting \((2,0,0),(0,3,0)\), and \((0,0,6)\), in that order.
Which of the following are conservative fields on \({\mathbb R}^3\)? For those that are, find a function \(f\) such that \({\bf F}={\nabla}f\).
Consider the following two vector fields in \({\mathbb R}^3\):
Consider the constant vector field \({\bf F}(x,y,z) = {\bf i} + 2{\bf j} - {\bf k}\) in \({\mathbb R}^3\).
Let \({\bf F}\) be a \(C^1\) vector field and suppose \({\nabla}{\,{\cdot}\,} {\bf F}(x_0,y_0,z_0) > 0\). Show that for a sufficiently small sphere \(S\) centered at \((x_0,y_0,z_0)\), the flux of \({\bf F}\) out of \(S\) is positive.
Let \(B \subset {\mathbb R}^{3}\) be a planar region, and let O \(\in {\mathbb R}^{3}\) be a point. If we connect all points in \(B\) to O, we get a cone, say \(C\), with vertex O and base \(B\). Show that \[ \hbox{Volume } (C) = \frac{1}{3} \hbox{ area } (B) \ h, \] where \(h\) is the distance of O from the plane of \(B\), using the following steps.
492
1Some informal texts adopt equation (5) as the definition of the curl, and use it to “prove” Stokes’ theorem. However, this raises the danger of circular reasoning, for to show that equation (5) really defines a vector “curl \({\bf V}\)(P)” requires Stokes’ theorem, or some similar argument.
2We saw an instance of the law of conservation of angular momentum in Section 4.1, Exercise 26.
3Another favorite fallacious argument, showing that a cat cannot turn itself over(!), is this: “Accept from physics that angular momentum is the moment of inertia times angular velocity [moments of inertia are discussed in Section 6.3]. But the angular momentum of the cat is zero, so the angular velocity must also be zero. Because angular velocity is the rate of change of the angular position, the angular position is constant. Thus, the cat cannot turn itself over.” What is wrong? This argument ignores the fact that the cat changes its shape, and hence its moment of inertia, during the fall.
4See T. R. Kane and M. Scher, “A Dynamical Explanation of the Falling Cat Phenomenon,” Int. J. Solids Struct., 5 (1969): 663–670. See also R. Montgomery, “Isoholonomic Problems and Some Applications,” Commun. Math. Phys., 128 (1990): 565–592; R. Montgomery, “How Much Does a Rigid Body Rotate? A Berry’s Phase from the \(18^{\rm th}\) Century,” Am. J. Phys., 59 (1991b): 394–398. See also J. E. Marsden and J. Ostrowski, “Symmetries in Motion: Geometric Foundations of Motion Control,” Nonlinear Science Today (1998), link.springer-ny.com; R. Batterman, “Falling Cats, Parallel Parking, and Polarized Light,” Philos. Soc. Arch. (2002); philsci-archive.pitt.edu/documents/disk0/00/00/05/83, www.its.caltech.edu/\(\sim\)mleok/falling_cats.htm, and references therein.
5If the minus sign is used, then \(V\) is decreasing in the direction \({\bf F}\).
6In the plane \({\mathbb R}^2\), exceptional points are not allowed (see Exercise 16). Theorem 7 can be proved in the same way if \({\bf F}\) is defined and is of class \(C^1\) only on an open convex set in \({\mathbb R}^2\) or \({\mathbb R}^3\). (A set \(D\) is convex if \({\rm P, Q} \in D\) implies the line joining P and Q also belongs to \(D\).)
7There are variations on this procedure. For further details, see, for example, Differential Equations of Applied Mathematics, by G. F. D. Duff and D. Naylor, Wiley, New York, 1966, or books on electromagnetic theory, such as Classical Electrodynamics, by J. D. Jackson, Wiley, New York, 1962.