GABIOLA, UZZIEL ABIB P.

ES 230 – Continuum Mechanics

2015-90264 Problem Set 1

1. Given Cartesian vectors A, B and C, prove using indicial notation the following vector identities:

a. A ∙ (B × C) = B ∙ (C × A)

A ∙ (B × C) = ⃗A ∙ (B
⃗ × ⃗C); let ⃗D = ⃗B × ⃗C

Di = ϵijk Bj Ck

= ⃗A ∙ ⃗D

= A i Di

= Ai (ϵijk Bj Ck )

= Bj (ϵijk Ai Ck )

= Bj (ϵjki Ck Ai )

⃗ × ⃗A)j
= Bj (C

⃗ × ⃗A)
= ⃗B ∙ (C

b. A ∙ (B × C) = (A × B) ∙ C

⃗ × ⃗⃗⃗⃗
A ∙ (B × C) = ⃗A ∙ (B C)

= A i ∙ Di

=Ai ∙ ϵijk Bj Ck

= Ck (ϵijk Bj Ai )

= Ck (ϵkij Ai Bj )

⃗ × ⃗B)k
= Ck (A

⃗ × ⃗B) ∙ ⃗C
= (A

c. A ∙ (A × C) = 0

⃗ ∙ (A
A ∙ (A × C) = A ⃗ ×C
⃗ ); let B ⃗ ×C
⃗ =A ⃗

Bi = ϵijk Aj Ck
GABIOLA, UZZIEL ABIB P. ES 230 – Continuum Mechanics
2015-90264 Problem Set 1

= ⃗A ∙ ⃗B

= Ai Bi

= Ai (ϵijk Aj Ck ) Since i = j; ϵiik = 0

= Ai (ϵijk Ai Ck )

=0

d. A × (B × C) + B × (C × A) + C × (A × B) = 0 ; ⃗D = ⃗B × ⃗C

Consider First Term:

A × (B × C) = ⃗A × ⃗D

= ϵijk Aj (B × C)k

= ϵijk Aj ϵklm Bl Cm

= ϵijk ϵklm Aj Bl Cm

= ϵkij ϵklm Aj Bl Cm

= [δil δjm − δim δjl ]Aj Bl Cm

= δil δjm Aj Bl Cm − δim δjl Aj Bl Cm

= Am Bi Cm − Al Bl Ci

= Bi (Am Cm ) − Ci (Al Bl )

⃗ ∙C
⃗ (A
=B ⃗)−C
⃗ (A
⃗ ∙B
⃗ ) 𝑬𝒒𝒖𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝟏

Consider Second Term:

⃗ ∙D
B × (C × A) = B ⃗

= ϵijk Bj (C × A)k

= ϵijk Bj ϵklm Cl Am
GABIOLA, UZZIEL ABIB P. ES 230 – Continuum Mechanics
2015-90264 Problem Set 1

= ϵijk ϵklm Bj Cl Am

= ϵkij ϵklm Bj Cl Am

= [δil δjm − δim δjl ]Bj Cl Am

= Aj Bj Ci − Ai Bl Cl

= ⃗C(A
⃗ ∙ ⃗B) − ⃗A(B
⃗ ∙ ⃗C) 𝑬𝒒𝒖𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝟐

Consider Third Term:

C × (A × B) = ⃗C ∙ ⃗D

= ϵijk Cj (A × B)k

= ϵijk Cj ϵklm Al Bm

= ϵijk ϵklm Al Bm Cj

= ϵkij ϵklm Al Bm Cj

= cAl Bm Cj

= Ai Bj Cj − Aj Bi Cj

= ⃗A(B
⃗ ∙ ⃗C) − ⃗B(A
⃗ ∙ ⃗C) 𝑬𝒒𝒖𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝟑

Substituting all equations to the original equation:

⃗ ∙ ⃗C) − ⃗C(A
= ⃗B(A ⃗ ∙ ⃗B) + ⃗C(A
⃗ ∙ ⃗B) − ⃗A(B
⃗ ∙ ⃗C) + ⃗A(B
⃗ ∙ ⃗C) − ⃗B(A
⃗ ∙ ⃗C)

=0

2. Given a scalar field ϕ and vector fields A and B, prove using indicial notation the following

identities involving the operator:

a. ∇ ∙ (ϕA) = (∇ϕ) ∙ A + ϕ(∇ ∙ A)

GABIOLA, UZZIEL ABIB P. ES 230 – Continuum Mechanics
2015-90264 Problem Set 1

[∇ ∙ (ϕA)]i = ∂i (ϕai )

= (∂i ϕ)ai + ϕ(∂i ai )

= (∇ϕ) ∙ A + ϕ(∇ ∙ A)

b. ∇ × (ϕA) = (∇ϕ) × A + ϕ(∇ × A)

∇ × (ϕA) = 𝜖𝑗𝑘𝑖 𝜕𝑗 (𝜙𝑎𝑘 )𝑒𝑖

[∇ × (ϕA)]𝑖 = 𝜖𝑗𝑘𝑖 𝜕𝑗 (𝜙𝑎𝑘 )

= 𝜖𝑗𝑘𝑖 𝜕𝑗 (𝜙𝑎𝑘 ) + 𝜙𝜖𝑗𝑘𝑖 𝜕𝑗 𝑎𝑘

= (∇ϕ) × A + ϕ(∇ × A)

c. ∇ ∙ (A × B) = B ∙ (∇ × A) − A ∙ (∇ × B)

∇ ∙ (A × B) = 𝜕𝑖 ∙ (𝐴 × 𝐵)𝑖

= 𝜕𝑖 ∙ 𝜖𝑖𝑗𝑘 𝑎𝑗 𝑏𝑘 = 𝜖𝑖𝑗𝑘 𝜕𝑖 𝑎𝑗 𝑏𝑘

= 𝜖𝑖𝑗𝑘 (𝜕𝑖 𝑎𝑗 )𝑏𝑘 − 𝜖𝑖𝑘𝑗 (𝜕𝑖 𝑎𝑘 )𝑏𝑗

= (∇ × A)𝑘 𝑏𝑘 − (∇ × A)𝑗 𝑎𝑗

= B ∙ (∇ × A) − A ∙ (∇ × B)

d. ∇ × (A × B) = B ∙ (∇A) − B(∇ ∙ A) − A ∙ (∇B) + A(∇ ∙ B)

∇ × (A × B) = ϵjki ∂j (A × B)k ei

[∇ × (A × B)]i = ϵjki ∂j (A × B)k

= ϵjki ∂j (ϵklm al bm )

= ϵjki ϵklm ∂j al bm

= [δil δjm − δim δjl ] ∂j al bm

GABIOLA, UZZIEL ABIB P. ES 230 – Continuum Mechanics
2015-90264 Problem Set 1

= ∂j ai bj − ∂j aj bi

= ai (∂j bj ) + bj (∂j ai ) − bi (∂j aj ) − aj (∂j bi )

= A(∇ ∙ B) + B ∙ (∇A) − B ∙ (∇ ∙ A) − A ∙ (∇B)

= B ∙ (∇A) − B(∇ ∙ A) − A ∙ (∇B) + A(∇ ∙ B)

3. Given a scalar field and vector fields A and B defined over a volume V bounded by a closed

surface S for which the unit normal vector n is defined, prove using indicial notation the

following integral identities:

a. ∫v ∇ϕdV = ÑϕndS

b. ∫v ∇ × 𝐁dV = Ñn × 𝐁dS