Vector Calculus: Example Sheet 3

David Tong, February 2023

1. Consider the line integral

I
I= −x2 y dx + xy 2 dy
C

for C a closed curve traversed anti-clockwise in the (x, y)-plane.

(i) Evaluate I when C is a circle of radius R centred at the origin. Use Green’s theorem
to relate the results for R = b and R = a to an area integral over an appropriate region,
and calculate the area integral directly.
(ii) Now suppose C is the boundary of a square centred at the origin with sides of
length ℓ. Show that I does not change if the square is rotated in the (x, y)-plane.

2. Verify Stokes’ theorem for the hemispherical shell S = {x2 + y 2 + z 2 = 1, z ≥ 0},

and the vector field
F(x) = (y, −x, z).

3. By applying Stokes’ theorem to the vector field a × F for a constant, or otherwise,

show that for a vector field F(x)
I Z
dx × F = (dS × ∇) × F
C S

where C = ∂S. Verify this result when C is the boundary of a unit square lying in the
(x, y)-plane, with opposite vertices at (0, 0, 0) and (1, 1, 0), and F(x) = x.

4. Let S = {x : |x| = 1} be the surface of a unit sphere. For the vector field
x
F(x) =
r3
R
where r = |x|, compute the integral S F · dS. Deduce that there does not exist a
vector potential for F, i.e. there can be no A for which F = ∇ × A. Compute ∇ · F
and comment on your result.

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5*. Consider the following vector field
1
A(x) = (yz, −xz, 0)
(x2 + y 2 )r

where r = |x|. Compute ∇ × A. Does this contradict the result of Question 4? Apply
Stokes’ theorem to ∇ × A on the open surface

Sϵ = {x : |x| = 1, x2 + y 2 ≥ ϵ2 }

How does this help reconcile the existence of A with the result of Question 4?

6. Use Gauss’ flux method to find the electric field E = E(x) due to a spherically
symmetric charge density

 0
 0≤r≤a
ρ(r) = ρ0 r/a a<r<b

0 r≥b


Now find the electric potential ϕ = ϕ(r) directly from Poisson’s equation by writing
down the general, spherically symmetric solution to Laplace’s equation in each of the
intervals 0 < r < a, a < r < b and r > b, and adding a particular integral where
necessary. You should assume that ϕ and ϕ′ are continuous at r = a and r = b. Check
this solution gives rise to the same electric field using E = −∇ϕ.

7. The scalar field ψ(r) only depends on r = |x|. Use Cartesian coordinates and suffix
notation to show
x 2
∇ψ = ψ ′ (r) and ∇2 ψ = ψ ′′ (r) + ψ ′ (r).
r r
Verify this result using your expression for the Laplacian in spherical polar coordinates.
Find a non-singular, spherically symmetric solution to the equation ∇2 ψ = 1 for r < R
subject to the requirement that ψ(R) = 1.

8. Consider a complex valued function f = ϕ(x, y) + iψ(x, y), with ϕ and ψ real,
satisfying ∂f /∂ z̄ = 0, where ∂/∂ z̄ = 12 (∂/∂x + i∂/∂y). Show that ∇2 ϕ = ∇2 ψ = 0.
Show also that a curve on which ϕ is constant is orthogonal to a curve on which ψ is
constant, at a point where they intersect. Find ϕ and ψ when f = zez , z = x + iy, and
compare with Question 5 on Examples Sheet 2.

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9a. Using Cartesian coordinates (x, y), find all solutions of Laplace’s equation ∇2 ψ = 0
in two dimensions of the form ψ(x, y) = f (x)eαy , with α constant. Hence find a solution
on the region 0 < x < a and y > 0 with boundary conditions:

ψ(0, y) = ψ(a, y) = 0 and ψ(x, 0) = λ sin(πx/a)

and ψ(x, y) → 0 as y → ∞.
b. Using the formula for the 2d Laplacian in plane polar coordinates (r, θ), verify that
Laplace’s equation in the plane has solutions of the form ψ(r, θ) = Arα cos βθ, if α and
β are related appropriately. Hence find solutions on the following regions, with the
given boundary conditions (λ a constant):

(i) r < R with ψ(R, θ) = λ cos θ,

(ii) r > R with ψ(R, θ) = λ cos θ and ψ(r, θ) → 0 as r → ∞,

(iii) a < r < b with n · ∇ψ(a, θ) = 0 and ψ(b, θ) = λ cos 2θ.

10. Let ψ and ϕ be scalar functions. Using an integral theorem, establish Green’s
second identity
Z Z
2 2


ϕ∇ ψ − ψ∇ ϕ dV = (ϕ∇ψ − ψ∇ϕ) · dS
V ∂V

11. Show that if the following boundary value problem has a solution on V , then that
solution is unique:

−∇2 ψ + ψ = ρ(x)

with n · ∇ψ = f (x) on ∂V .

12. Consider the Laplace equation ∇2 ψ = 0 on V , subject to the boundary condition

on ∂V

(n · ∇ψ)g(x) + ψ = f (x)

where g(x) ≥ 0 on ∂V . Show that, if a solution exists, then it is unique. Find a non-
zero solution to Laplace’s equation on |x| ≤ 1 which satisfies the boundary conditions
above with f = 0 and g = −1 on |x| = 1.

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13. Let u be harmonic on V and v a smooth function that satisfies v = 0 on ∂V . Show
that Z
∇u · ∇v dV = 0.
V
Now if w is any function on V with w = u on ∂V , show, by considering v = w − u,
that Z Z
2
|∇w| dV ≥ |∇u|2 dV.
V V

14*. Show that a harmonic function ψ at the point a is equal to the average of its
values on the interior of the ball Br (a) = {x : |x − a| < r}, for any r > 0. Using this
result for large r and considering ∇ψ, or otherwise, prove that if ψ is bounded and
harmonic on R3 then it is constant.

15*. Consider a time-dependent volume V = V (t). The velocity of a point x ∈ V is

v(x). Show that Z
d
vol(V ) = v · dS.
dt S

Show that, for a scalar function ρ(x, t),

Z Z Z
d ∂ρ
ρ dV = dV + ρv · dS .
dt V (t) V (t) ∂t S(t)

This is Reynold’s Transport Theorem. What is the physical interpretation?

[Hint: it is better to think physically about this problem rather than simply trying
to manipulate equations. You might first try constructing a 1d version of the result.]