Part 20 - Divergence and Stokes' Theorem

Introduction

In this part we’ll cover surface integrals over vector fields as well as two very important theorems.

Surface integrals over vector fields

Definition 1 (Flux)

Let SS be a parametric surface, parameterized by, r:DR2\vec{r}: D \rarr \mathbb{R}^2 and F:R3R3F: \mathbb{R}^3 \rarr \mathbb{R}^3, be a vector field. Then:

SFdS=DF(r(u,v))ru×rv du dv\iint_S \vec{F} \cdot dS = \iint_D \vec{F}(\vec{r}(u, v)) \cdot \vec{r_u} \times \vec{r_v}\ du\ dv

We call this the flux of F\vec{F} through SS.

Example 1

Given, F=z,y,x\vec{F} = \langle z, y, x \rangle, find the flux of this vector field across the unit sphere.

So, we have the surface:

S={(x,y,z)x2+y2+z21}S = \{(x, y, z) | x^2 + y^2 + z^2 \leq 1 \}

As always, good idea to change into polar coordinates, so a good parameterization is:

r(ϕ,θ)=sin(ϕ) cos(θ),sin(ϕ) sin(θ),cos(ϕ)  0ϕπ,0θ2π\vec{r}(\phi, \theta) = \langle sin(\phi)\ cos(\theta), sin(\phi)\ sin(\theta), cos(\phi) \rangle \ | \ 0 \leq \phi \leq \pi, 0 \leq \theta \leq 2\pi

NB: This computation is just tedious (and we’ll see how we can reduce this shortly)

ru×rv=sin2(ϕ) cos(θ),sin2(ϕ) sin(θ),sin(ϕ) cos(ϕ)\vec{r_u} \times \vec{r_v} = \langle sin^2(\phi)\ cos(\theta), sin^2(\phi)\ sin(\theta), sin(\phi)\ cos(\phi) \rangle

Now, one can solve this integral by taking the dot product and applying our definition:

02π0πcos(ϕ),sin(ϕ) sin(θ),sin(ϕ) cos(θ)sin2(ϕ) cos(θ),sin2(ϕ) sin(θ),sin(ϕ) cos(ϕ)\int_0^{2\pi} \int_0^{\pi} \langle cos(\phi), sin(\phi)\ sin(\theta), sin(\phi)\ cos(\theta) \rangle \cdot \langle sin^2(\phi)\ cos(\theta), sin^2(\phi)\ sin(\theta), sin(\phi)\ cos(\phi) \rangle

Let’s see now how we can do the same example, with fewer computations, first some theory.

Orientation

For surfaces, we say that positive orientation is “pointing outwards”. For hollow surfaces this is always the case. If our parameterization is given by a single function, then we always have the correct choice.

However, imagine half the unit sphere with a filled base. The base with parameterization: D={(r,θ)0r1,0θ2π}D = \{(r, \theta) | 0 \leq r \leq 1, 0 \leq \theta \leq 2\pi \}. Is going to be a negative integral.

Definition 2 (Divergence)

For a vector field, F:R3R3\vec{F}: \mathbb{R}^3 \rarr \mathbb{R}^3, the divergence is:

div F=Px+Qy+Rzdiv\ \vec{F} = \dfrac{\partial P}{\partial x} + \dfrac{\partial Q}{\partial y} + \dfrac{\partial R}{\partial z}
Theorem 1 (The Divergence Theorem)

Let SS be a hollow surface and let EE be the 3-dimensional region it surrounds (E=S\partial E = S).

Then:

SFdS=Ediv F dV\iint_S \vec{F} \cdot dS = \iiint_E div\ \vec{F}\ dV

Equivalently:

EFdS=Ediv F dV\iint_{\partial E} \vec{F} \cdot dS = \iiint_E div\ \vec{F}\ dV

Now let’s take the sample example.

Example 2

Find the flux of F=z,y,x\vec{F} = \langle z, y, x on the unit sphere.

div F=Px+Qy+Rz=0+0+1=1div\ \vec{F} = \dfrac{\partial P}{\partial x} + \dfrac{\partial Q}{\partial y} + \dfrac{\partial R}{\partial z} = 0 + 0 + 1 = 1SFdS=E1dV\iint_S \vec{F} \cdot dS = \iiint_E 1 dV

We could now just transform to polar coordinates, but, this is the volume of the unit sphere, which is just:

4π3\boxed{\dfrac{4\pi}{3}}

Stokes’ Theorem

So far we have seen Green’s Theorem as well as The Divergence theorem. But what is the reason that Green’s Theorem only works in R3\mathbb{R}^3?

Well, Stokes Theorem is essentially Green’s Theorem but in R3\mathbb{R}^3.

Definition 3 (Curl)

For F:R3R3\vec{F}: \mathbb{R}^3 \rarr \mathbb{R}^3, we define its curl as:

NB: it is also called rot and sometimes denoted as ×F\nabla \times \vec{F}.

curl F=RyQz,PzRx,QxPycurl\ \vec{F} = \langle \dfrac{\partial R}{\partial y} - \dfrac{\partial Q}{\partial z}, \dfrac{\partial P}{\partial z} - \dfrac{\partial R}{\partial x}, \dfrac{\partial Q}{\partial x} - \dfrac{\partial P}{\partial y} \rangle
Theorem 2 (Stokes’ Theorem)

If SR3S \subset \mathbb{R}^3 is a surface, surrounded by a simple, closed curve in R3\mathbb{R}^3. Then:

CFdr=Scurl F dS\int_C \vec{F} \cdot dr = \iint_S curl\ F\ dS
Example 3

Compute CFdr\int_C F \cdot dr for F=y2,x,z2\vec{F} = \langle -y^2, x, z^2 \rangle and CC being the intersection of y+z=2y + z = 2 with x2+y1=1x^2 + y^1 = 1.

Let’s find the curl:

curl F=0,0,1+2ycurl\ \vec{F} = \langle 0, 0, 1 + 2y \rangle

We need to find the surface, the intersection of y+z=2y + z = 2 and x2+y2=1x^2 + y^2 = 1 will just be the unit disk but at a slight tilt.

Scurl F dS\iint_S curl\ \vec{F}\ dS

Is just the flux through this region, let’s express this in polar coordinates

D={(r,θ)0r1,0θ2π}D = \{(r, \theta) | 0 \leq r \leq 1, 0 \leq \theta \leq 2\pi \}

Meaning:

Scurl F dS=Dcurl Fru×rv dA\iint_S curl\ \vec{F}\ dS = \iint_D curl\ \vec{F} \cdot \vec{r_u} \times \vec{r_v}\ dA

Let’s find a parameterization of the surface:

r(u,v)=u,v,2v\vec{r}(u, v) = \langle u, v, 2 - v \rangleru(u,v)=1,0,0\vec{r_u}(u, v) = \langle 1, 0, 0 \ranglerv(u,v)=0,1,1\vec{r_v}(u, v) = \langle 0, 1, -1 \rangleru×rv=0,1,1\vec{r_u} \times \vec{r_v} = \langle 0, 1, 1 \rangleDcurl Fru×rv dA=D0,0,1+2y0,1,1 dA\iint_D curl\ \vec{F} \cdot \vec{r_u} \times \vec{r_v}\ dA = \iint_D \langle 0, 0, 1 + 2y \rangle \cdot \langle 0, 1, 1 \rangle\ dAD1+2y dA\iint_D 1 + 2y\ dA02π01(1+2rsin(θ))r dr dθ\int_0^{2\pi} \int_0^1 (1 + 2r sin(\theta))r\ dr\ d\theta02π01r+2r2sin(θ) dr dθ\int_0^{2\pi} \int_0^1 r + 2r^2 sin(\theta)\ dr\ d\theta0102πr+2r2sin(θ) dθ dr\int_0^1 \int_0^{2\pi} r + 2r^2 sin(\theta)\ d\theta\ dr

sin(θ)sin(\theta) has symmetry around 2π2\pi, therefore the integral of that is 00.

012πr dr=π\int_0^1 2\pi r\ dr = \boxed{\pi}
Example 4

Compute Scurl F dS\iint_S curl\ \vec{F}\ dS where F=xz,yz,xy\vec{F} = \langle xz, yz, xy \rangle and SS is the part of the sphere of radius 2 around (0,0,0)(0, 0, 0) that lies inside the cylinder x2+y21x^2 + y^2 \leq 1 and above the xyxy-plane.

Let’s actually use Stokes theorem, “backwards”. CC will be a circle with:

{x2+y2=1x2+y2+z2=4\begin{cases} x^2 + y^2 = 1 \newline x^2 + y^2 + z^2 = 4 \newline \end{cases}

Which means that z=3z = \sqrt{3}

We can parameterize this curve as:

r(t)=cos(t),sin(t),3  0t2π\vec{r}(t) = \langle cos(t), sin(t), \sqrt{3} \rangle \ | \ 0 \leq t \leq 2\pir(t)=sin(t),cos(t),0\vec{r^\prime}(t) = \langle -sin(t), cos(t), 0 \rangleScurl F dS=CFdr\iint_S curl\ \vec{F}\ dS = \int_C \vec{F} \cdot dr02π3cos(t),3sin(t),cos(t) sin(t)sin(t),cos(t),0\int_0^{2\pi} \langle \sqrt{3} cos(t), \sqrt{3} sin(t), cos(t)\ sin(t) \rangle \cdot \langle -sin(t), cos(t), 0 \rangle02π3cos(t) sin(t)+3sin(t) cos(t)\int_0^{2\pi} -\sqrt{3} cos(t)\ sin(t) + \sqrt{3} sin(t)\ cos(t)02π0=0\int_0^{2\pi} 0 = \boxed{0}