Scribd Logo
Upload

Welcome to Scribd!

  • 111 views

    Divergence and Curl Notation - Math Insight

    Uploaded by

    Matthew Vinodh Raj
    This document discusses the divergence and curl notation using the del (∇) operator. It explains that the divergence of a vector field F is represented by taking the dot product of F and ∇, which gives the formula ∇⋅F. The curl of a vector field F is represented by taking the cross product of F and ∇, which gives the formula ∇×F. It provides memory aids for remembering these formulas by thinking of ∇ as representing the partial derivatives and using dot and cross products.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Divergence and Curl Notation - Math Insight

    Uploaded by

    Matthew Vinodh Raj
    111 views2 pages
    This document discusses the divergence and curl notation using the del (∇) operator. It explains that the divergence of a vector field F is represented by taking the dot product of F and ∇, which gives the formula ∇⋅F. The curl of a vector field F is represented by taking the cross product of F and ∇, which gives the formula ∇×F. It provides memory aids for remembering these formulas by thinking of ∇ as representing the partial derivatives and using dot and cross products.

    Original Description:

    vector calculus

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

    Available Formats

    PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Did you find this document useful?

    Is this content inappropriate?

    This document discusses the divergence and curl notation using the del (∇) operator. It explains that the divergence of a vector field F is represented by taking the dot product of F and ∇, which gives the formula ∇⋅F. The curl of a vector field F is represented by taking the cross product of F and ∇, which gives the formula ∇×F. It provides memory aids for remembering these formulas by thinking of ∇ as representing the partial derivatives and using dot and cross products.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    111 views2 pages

    Divergence and Curl Notation - Math Insight

    Uploaded by

    Matthew Vinodh Raj
    This document discusses the divergence and curl notation using the del (∇) operator. It explains that the divergence of a vector field F is represented by taking the dot product of F and ∇, which gives the formula ∇⋅F. The curl of a vector field F is represented by taking the cross product of F and ∇, which gives the formula ∇×F. It provides memory aids for remembering these formulas by thinking of ∇ as representing the partial derivatives and using dot and cross products.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 2

    Math Insight

    Divergence and curl notation


    , the formulas for the div ergence and curl are

    (confused?)

    3 F

    2 F

    +
    1F

    .)

    2 F

    3 F

    1 F

    3F

    R : F

    2 F

    = F vid

    1F

    For

    ( = F lru c

    These formulas are easy to memorize using a tool called the del operator, denoted by the nabla sy mbol
    . Think of as a fake v ector composed of all the partial deriv ativ es that we use just to help us
    remember the formulas:

    .)

    ,
    z

    ( =

    Although it may not seem to make sense to just hav e the partial deriv ativ es without them acting on a
    function, we won't worry about that. This is just notation.
    v ector with

    ) 3 F , 2 F , 1 F( = F

    ) 3F , 2F , 1F ( )

    ,
    z

    ( = F
    x

    Now, let's take the dot product of the

    =
    x

    If we think of each multiplication in the dot product as instead being the deriv ativ e of the corresponding
    , then we hav e the formula for the div ergence. So, if y ou can remember the del operator
    and how to
    take a dot product, y ou can easily remember the formula for the div ergence

    3F

    2F

    +
    z
    F

    1F

    +
    y

    = F = F vid
    x

    This notation is also helpful because y ou will alway s know that


    that the dot product is a scalar product).

    is a scalar (since, of course, y ou know

    The curl, on the other hand, is a v ector. We know one product that giv es a v ector: the cross product. And,
    y es, it turns out that
    is equal to
    . To see this, let's take the cross product of the
    v ector with
    .

    F lru c

    ,2

    ( )

    ( =

    F , 2F ,

    F( )

    ) 1F

    2F

    (k + ) 1 F

    1 F

    k)
    y

    x
    3F

    ( + j)
    x

    z
    F

    2F

    1F

    x
    1

    3F

    (i =
    y

    2F

    ( + i)
    z

    3F

    ( =
    y

    is the same

    as taking the partial deriv ativ e with respect to


    remember the curl formula by

    2F

    (j )

    3F

    ( = F
    x

    k
    3

    This is ex actly the formula we gav e abov e. So if y ou can use the rule that multiplication by

    (and similar for the other deriv ativ es), then y ou can

    .F = F lru c

    See also
    The components of the curl
    The idea of the div ergence of a v ector field
    The idea of the curl of a v ector field

    Cite this as
    Ny kamp DQ, Div ergence and curl notation. From Math Insight. http://mathinsight.org
    /div ergence_curl_notation
    Key words: curl, div ergence

    Div ergence and curl notation by Duane Q. Ny kamp is licensed under a Creativ e Commons AttributionNoncommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 License. For permissions bey ond the scope of this license, please contact
    us.

    You might also like