Stokess Theorem

Based on lecture notes by James McKernan and Pavel Etingof

Theorem 1 (Stokess Theorem). Let S R3 be a differentiable parametrized two
dimensional surface. Let F~ : S R3 be a C 1 vector field.
Then
ZZ
Z
~=
curl F~ dS
F~ d~s,
S

where S is oriented compatibly with the orientation on S.

Example 2. Let S look like a pair of pants. Choose the orientation of S such that
the normal vector is pointing outwards. There are three oriented curves C1 , C2 and
~ with
C3 (the two legs and the waist). Suppose that we are given a vector field B
zero curvature. Then (1) says that
Z
Z
Z
ZZ
~ d~s +
~ d~s +
~ d~s =
~ dS
~ = 0.
B
B
B
curl B
C10

C3

C10

Here
and
other words,

C20

C20

denote the curves C1 and C2 with the opposite orientation. In

Z

~ d~s =
B

C3

~ d~s +
B

C1

~ d~s.
B

C2

Example 3. Let S be a closed surface (i.e., without a boundary). For example,

the sphere has no boundary. Then Stokess Theorem implies that
ZZ
~ = 0.
curl F~ dS
S

Proof of Stokess Theorem. Let S be parametrized by ~r : D R3 for some region

D R2 , and denote ~r(u, v) = (x(u, v), y(u, v), z(u, v)). We define the vector field
~ : D R2 by
G
~r
(u, v) = F1 xu + F2 yu + F3 zu
G1 (u, v) = F~ (~r(u, v))
u
and
G2 (u, v) = F~ (~r(u, v))

~r
(u, v) = F1 xv + F2 yv + F3 zv
v

We claim that
ZZ

~=
curl F~ dS

(1)
S

ZZ 
D

G1
G2

x
y


du dv,

and that
I
(2)

F~ d~s =

~ d~s.
G

Then the statement follows from Greens Theorem, which states that

I
ZZ 
G2
G1
~
G d~s =

du dv.
x
y
D
D
It therefore remains to establish (1) and (2). We will start with the former.
1


curl F~ =  x y
z 
F
F2 F3 
1






F3
F2
F3
F1
F2
F1
=

k.
y
z
x
z
x
y
On the other hand,
~r
x
y
z
=
+
+
k
u
u
u
u
x
y
z
~r
=
+
+
k.
v
v
v
v
It follows that




k 

~r
~r
y
z 

=  x u
u 
u v  u
y
x
z 
v

(y, z)
(x, z)
(x, y)
=

+
k.
(u, v)
(u, v)
(u, v)
So,






F3
F2 (y, z)
F3
F1 (x, z)
F2
F1 (x, y)
~r ~r

.
u v
y
z (u, v)
x
z (u, v)
x
y (u, v)
On the other hand, if we write out
G2
G1

,
u
v
using the chain rule, we can see that it is also equal to the RHS. This is (1).
To prove (2), parametrize D by (u(t), v(t)), for t [0, 1]. Then
curl F~

p~(t) = ~r(u(t), v(t)) = (x(u(t)), y(u(t)), z(u(t)))

is a parametrization of S, and
I
~
F~ dS
S

d~
p
F~ (~
p(t))
(t) dt
dt
0


Z 1
dv
du
dv
du
dv
du
+ xv , yu
+ yv , zu
+ zv
dt
=
F~ xu
dt
dt
dt
dt
dt
dt
0

Z 1
du
dv
=
(F1 xu + F2 yu + F3 zu )
+ (F1 xv + F2 yv + F3 zv )
dt
dt
dt
0


Z 1
du
dv
=
G1
+ G2
dt
dt
dt
I0
~ d~s.
=
G
=

This proves (2).