Vector Identities

Gradient
~ + g) = ∇f
1. ∇(f ~ + ∇g
~
~
2. ∇(cf ~ , for any constant c
) = c∇f
~ g) = f ∇g
3. ∇(f ~ + g ∇f
~
~ /g) = g ∇f
~ − f ∇g
~ /g 2 at points ~x where g(~x) 6= 0.


4. ∇(f
~ F
5. ∇( ~ · G)
~ =F
~ × (∇ ~ − (∇
~ × G) ~ ×G
~ × F) ~ + (G
~ · ∇)
~ F~ + (F
~ · ∇)
~ G~

Divergence
~ + G)
~ · (F
6. ∇ ~ =∇ ~ +∇
~ ·F ~
~ ·G
~ · (cF)
7. ∇ ~ = c∇
~ · F,
~ for any constant c
~ · (f F)
8. ∇ ~ = f∇
~ ·F
~ +F
~ · ∇f
~
~ × G)
~ · (F
9. ∇ ~ =G
~ · (∇ ~ −F
~ × F) ~ · (∇ ~
~ × G)

Curl
~ + G)
~ × (F
10. ∇ ~ =∇ ~ +∇
~ ×F ~
~ ×G
~ × (cF)
11. ∇ ~ = c∇
~ × F,
~ for any constant c
~ × (f F)
12. ∇ ~ = f∇
~ ×F
~ + ∇f
~ ×F
~
~ × G)
~ × (F
13. ∇ ~ = F(
~ ∇ ~ − (∇
~ · G) ~ G
~ · F) ~ + (G
~ · ∇)
~ F~ − (F
~ · ∇)
~ G~

Laplacian
~ 2 (f + g) = ∇
14. ∇ ~ 2f + ∇
~ 2g
~ 2 (cf ) = c∇
15. ∇ ~ 2 f , for any constant c
~ 2 (f g) = f ∇
16. ∇ ~ 2 g + 2∇f
~ · ∇g
~ + g∇
~ 2f

Degree Two
~ · (∇
17. ∇ ~ × F)
~ =0
~ × (∇f
18. ∇ ~ )=0
~ · (∇f
19. ∇ ~ × ∇g) = 0

~ · (f ∇g
20. ∇ ~ − g ∇f
~ ) = f∇
~ 2g − g∇
~ 2f
~ × (∇
21. ∇ ~ × F)
~ = ∇(
~ ∇~ · F)
~ −∇
~ 2F
~

c Joel Feldman. 2003. All rights reserved.