VECTOR CALCULUS

DERIVATIVE OF A SCALAR
POINT FUNCTION AND A
VECTOR POINT FUNCTION
1

Definition of Scalar Function

If every point P(x, y, z) of a region R of
space has associated with a scalar quantity
(x, y, z), then (x, y, z) is a scalar
function and a scalar field is said to exist in
the region R. Example of scalar fields are
temperature, pressure, etc.

A scalar function defines a scalar field in a region (or

on a surface or curve) eg.
1. A temperature function given for a plate which is
heated by a candle below its midpoint. So the scalar
field is all temperature on the plate
2. The pressure field of the earths temperature
3.

f ( P) f ( x, y, z ) x 2 y 2 z 2 (distance

from origin to

the point P in space)

z

p
f (P)
y

Definition of Vector Function

If every point P(x, y, z) of a region R has
associated with a vector F(x, y, z), then F(x, y,
z) is a vector function and a vector field is said
to exist in the region R. Examples of vector
fields are force, velocity, acceleration, etc.

A vector function defines a vector field in region

(or a surface or a curve)
E.g.(1) Figure below shows the spin field of unit
vectors
F = (-yi + xj)/(x2 + y2)1/2 in the plane. The field is
not defined at the Origin.

 E.g.(2) Vectors in the gravitational field

F = -GM(xi + yj + zk)/(x2 + y2 + z2)3/2

E.g.(3) Streamlines in a contracting channel.

The water speeds up as the channel narrows
and the velocity vectors increases in length

Gradient of a scalar function (Grad)

If a scalar function (x, y, z) is continuously
differentiable with respect to its variables x, y,
z throughout the region, then the gradient of ,
written grad , is defined as the vector

grad
i
j
k
x

i
j k
x
y
z

(vector differential operator)

7

Directional Derivatives: For example let say (x, y) = 2x + y

represents the temperature on a plate. Compute
(i) the rate of change of in x-direction.
(ii) the rate of change of in y-direction.
(iii) the rate of change of in the direction of i + j.
(iv) the maximum rate of change of and its direction.
Solution rate of change of grad i j
(2 x y ) (2 x y )

i
j 2i j
x
y

(i) i (2i j) i 2

(ii) j (2i j) j 1
(iii) Let a i j

a
ij

a
12 12

ij
3
a (2i j)

2
2

(iv) maximum rate of change 2i j 2 2 12 5

direction same or opposite direction as 2i j

Example
Find grad for = 3x2+2y2+z2 at the point (1,2,3). Hence
calculate (i) the directional derivative of at (1,2,3) in the
direction of vector (2,2,1); (ii) the maximum rate of change of
the function at (1,2,3) and its direction.

Solution
grad
i
j
k
x
y
z
(3 x 2 2 y 2 z 2 ) (3 x 2 2 y 2 z 2 )
(3 x 2 2 y 2 z 2 )

i
j
k
x
y
z

6 xi 4 yj 2 zk
(1, 2,3) 6(1)i 4(2) j 2(3)k 6i 8 j 6k
(i) Let a 2i 2 j k
2i 2 j k
1
34

(1, 2,3) a (6i 8 j 6k )

(12
16 6)
2
2
2
3
3
2 2 1

(ii) maximum rate of change (1, 2,3) 6i 8 j 6k 6 2 82 6 2 136

direction 6i 8 j 6k

Example
If f = x3y2z, find (i) f
(ii) a unit vector normal to the contour at the point (1,1,1).
(iii) the rate of change of f at (1,1,1) in the direction of i.
(iv) the rate of change of f at (1,1,1) in the direction of the unit
vector n 1 (i j k )
3
Solution

(i) f 3 x 2 y 2 zi 2 x 3 yzj x 3 y 2k
(ii) unit vector normal

f (1,1,1)
3i 2 j k
1

(3i 2 j k )
2
2
2
f (1,1,1)
14
3 2 1

(iii) f (1,1,1) i (3i 2 j k ) i 3

1
(iv) f (1,1,1) n (3i 2 j k ) (i j k )
3
1
6
6 3

(3 2 1)

2 3
3
3
3

10

Example A paraboloid has equation 2z = x2 + y2. Find the

unit normal vector to the surface at the point (1, 3, 5).
Hence obtain the equation of the normal and the tangent
plane to the surface at that point.
Solution
2z = x2 + y2
2z x2 y2 = 0
The unit vector in the direction of grad is called the unit
normal vector at P.

(2 z x 2 y 2 )
(2 z x 2 y 2 )
(2 z x 2 y 2 )
normal vector n
i
j
k
x
y
z

normal vector n 2 xi 2 yj 2k

at point (1,3,5) normal vector n 2i 6 j 2k

2i 6 j 2k 2i 6 j 2k i 3 j k
unit normal vector n

44
11
22 62 22
11

i 3 j k
unit normal vector n
11

The equation of line through (1, 3, 5) in the direction

of this normal is
x 1 y 3 z 5

1
3
1

and the equation of the tangent plane is

(-1)(x 1) + (-3)(y 3) + (1)(z 5) = 0
x + 3y z = 5

12

Divergence of a Vector Field

The operator applies to a vector function
F(x, y, z) will give divergence of F written in
short as div F. It is defined as

F1 F2 F3

div F
i j k F1i F2 j F3k

x y z
x y z

where F = F1i + F2j + F3k

Note that the divergence of a vector is a scalar
quantity.
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 The implication of the divergence is easily

understood by considering the behaviour of
a fluid.
The divergence (of a the vector field
representing velocity) at a point in a fluid
(liquid or gas) is a measure of the rate per
unit volume at which the fluid is flowing
away from a point (source) or flowing
towards the point (sink).

14

 Imagine that the vector field F below gives the velocity of

some fluid flow. It appears that the fluid is exploding outward
from the origin.

This expansion of fluid flowing with velocity field F is

captured by the divergence of F, which we denote div F. The
divergence of the above vector field is positive since the flow
is expanding.
15

 In contrast, the below vector field

represents fluid flowing so that it
compresses as it moves toward the origin.
Since this compression of fluid is the
opposite of expansion, the divergence of
this vector field is negative.

16

 When the divergence is everywhere zero,

the flow entering any element of the space
is exactly balanced by the outflow. This
implies that the lines of flow of the field
F(r) where div F = 0 must either form
closed curves or finished at boundaries or
extend to infinity. Vectors satisfying this
condition are sometimes termed solenoidal.

17

Curl of a vector field

The curl operator denoted by , acts on a vector and
gives another vector as a result,

curl F F
i j k
y
z
x
.

F1i F2 j F3k
x
F1

y
F2

z
F3

The curl of a vector field is slightly more complicated

than the divergence. It captures the idea of how a fluid
may rotate. We define the curl of F, denoted F, by a
vector that points along the axis of the rotation and whose
length corresponds to the speed of the rotation.
18

 For a three dimensional vector field, then you can

imagine the curl something like this:

The curl vector is perpendicular to the vector field.

Note that: to see where curl F should point, we use the
right hand rule.
When the curl of velocity of a fluids particle is zero,
there is no rotation of the particle and the motion is said
to be curl-free or irrotational. When the curl is non-zero,
the motion is rotational.
19

Example
(a) Find the divergence of the vector field F(x, y, z) = x2yi +
2y3zj + 3zk, in general term and at the point (1, 0, 3).
(b) Find the value of a for which F = (2x2y+z2)i + (xy2 x2z)j +
(axyz 2x2y2)k is incompressible.
Solution
F1 F2 F3
(a) div F F

where F F1i F2 j F3k

x y
z
div F 2 xy 6 y 2 z 3

F (1, 0,3) 2(1)(0) 6(02 )(3) 3 3

(b) div F 0 if incompressible
2
2
2
2
2 2
F1 F2 F3

(2
x
y

z
)

(
xy

x
z
)

(
axyz

2
x
y )

0
x y
z
x
y
z
4 xy 2 xy axy 0
axy 6 xy
a 6

20

Example
Find curl v for the following two-dimensional vector fields
(i) v = xi + 2j (ii) v = -yi + xj
If v represents the surface velocity of the flow of water,
describe the motion of a floating leaf.
i
j
k
Solution

(i) curl v v

x y
x
2
(0) (2)

i
z

y
i
j

(ii) curl v v
x y
y x

z
v = 0 no rotation.
0
(0) ( x) ( z ) ( x)

k 0
j
x
z
x
y
k

z
0

v =+ve
counterclockwise rotation.

(0) ( x)
(0) ( y ) ( x) ( y )

i
k (1 (1))k 2k
j
z
z
x
y
x
y
21

Example
Given F = (xy xz)i + 3x2j + yzk, find curl F at the origin
and at the point P = (1,2,3).
Solution
i

curl F F

x
y
xy xz 3 x 2

z
yz

2
( yz ) (3x 2 )
)
( yz ) ( xy xz ) (3 x ) ( xy xz

i
k
j
z
z
x
y
x
y

( z 0)i (0 x) j (6 x x)k zi xj 5 xk

F (0,0,0) 0i 0 j 5(0)k 0

F (1,2,3) 3i j 5k
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