MATH 2023 • Spring 2015-16 • Multivariable Calculus

Problem Set #10 • Divergence Theorem

‹
1. (F) Use the Divergence Theorem to find the outward flux F · n̂out dS for each of the
S
following F and S:
(a) F = xi + yj + zk and S is the surface of any square cube of length b.

Solution: It is easy to see that ∇ · F = 3. The solid D enclosed by S is the solid

square cube of length b. Divergence Theorem shows:
‹ ˚
F · n̂out dS = ∇ · F dV
S
˚ D

= 3 dV = 3 × volume of D
D
= 3b2 .

(b) F = x3 i + 3yz2 j + (3y2 z + x2 )k and S is the sphere with radius a > 0 centered at the
origin.

Solution: ∇ · F = 3( x2 + y2 + z2 ) = 3ρ2 . The solid D enclosed by S is the solid

sphere with radius a centered at the origin, i.e. D = {ρ ≤ a}.
‹ ˚
F · n̂ dS = ∇ · F dV
S D
ˆ 2π ˆ π ˆ a
= 3ρ2 · ρ2 sin φ dρdφdθ
0 0 0
12πa 5
= .
5

(c) F = x2 i + y2 j + z2 k and S is the boundary surface of the cylinder D defined by

x2 + y2 ≤ 1 and 0 ≤ z ≤ 4.

Solution: ∇ · F = 2( x + y + z). The solid D is described by inequalities 0 ≤ r ≤ 1,

0 ≤ θ ≤ 2π and 0 ≤ z ≤ 4 in cylindrical coordinates:

‹ ˆ 2π ˆ 1ˆ 4
F · n̂ dS = ∇ · F rdzdrdθ
S 0 0 0
ˆ 2π ˆ 1ˆ 4
= 2(r cos θ + r sin θ + z) rdzdrdθ
0 0 0
= 16π

Remark: To simplify the computations, it is good to keep in mind that:

ˆ 2π ˆ 2π
cos θ dθ = sin θ dθ = 0.
0 0

Page 1
 V EXAMPLE 1 Find the flux of the vector field F共
sphere x 2 ⫹ y 2 ⫹ z 2 苷 1.
MATH 2023 Divergence Theorem SOLUTION FirstProblem Setthe
we compute #10
divergence of F :
‹ ⭸ ⭸
div F 苷 共z兲 ⫹ 共y兲
2. (F) Evaluate F · n̂out dS where ⭸x ⭸y
S
The unit sphere S is the boundary of the unit ball B
 2

F = xyi + y2 + e xz j + sin( xy)k Divergence Theorem gives the flux as

The solution in Example 1 should be

and S is the surface boundarycompared
of thewithregion
N
D defined by z ≤ 1 − x2 , z ≥ 0, y ≥ 0 and
y ≤ 2 − z. See the figure below:
in Section 16.7.
the solution in Example 4 yy F ⴢ dS 苷 yyy div F dV 苷 yyy 1 dV
S B B

z V EXAMPLE 2 Evaluate yy F ⴢ dS, where

S
(0, 0, 1)
y=2-z
F共x, y, z兲 苷 xy i ⫹ ( y 2 ⫹ e
ER 16 VECTOR CALCULUS and S is the surface of the region E bounded by th
0
the planes z 苷 0, y 苷 0, and y ⫹ z 苷 2. (See Figu
puter to graph the surface S and the tangent Evaluate xC F ⴢ dr, where C is the curve with initial point
SOLUTION It would be extremely difficult to evaluate
d in part (a). 共0, 0, 2兲 and terminal point 共0, 3, 0兲 shown
(1, 0, 0) in ythe figure.
(0, 2, 0)
(We would have to evaluate four surface integrals
do not evaluate, an integral for the surface area x z
z=1-≈ Furthermore, the divergence of F is much less com
(0, 0, 2)
FIGURE 2 ⭸ ⭸
z兲 苷
z2 x2 y2 共xy兲 ⫹ ( y 2 ⫹ e xz 2 ) ⫹ div F 苷
2 i ⫹ j⫹
2Comment k ⭸x ⭸y
1⫹x 1⫹y 1 ⫹ z 2 on why it is preferable to use the Divergence Theorem instead of computing
0
the surface flux directly.
dS correct to four decimal places. (0, 3, 0)
Therefore we use the Divergence Theorem to trans
(1, 1, 0)
y triple integral. The easiest way to evaluate the trip
e surface integral. (3, 0, 0) region:
Solution:
e S is the part of the paraboloid z 苷 x ⫹ y
2 2
x
the plane z 苷 4 ∇ · F = 3y E 苷 兵 共x, y, z兲 ⫺1 艋 x 艋 1, 0 艋 z 艋
ⱍ
38. Let
兲 dS, where S is the part of the plane ‹ ˚
y that lies inside the cylinder x 2 ⫹ y 2 苷 4 共2 x 3 ⫹ 2 x y 2 ⫺ 2y兲 i ⫹ 共2y 3 ⫹ 2 x 2 y ⫹ 2 x兲 j
F · n̂y兲dS
F共x, 苷 = ∇ · F dV 2
S D x ⫹ y2
ere F共x, y, z兲 苷 x z i ⫺ 2y j ⫹ 3x k and S is ˆ z=is1− ˆ 2−zfigure. 2 ˆ
⫹ y 2 ⫹ z 2 苷 4 with outward orientation Evaluate x䊊C F ⴢ drx, = 1
where C x
shown yin=the
= 3y dydzdx
x =−1 zy=0 y =0
ere F共x, y, z兲 苷 x i ⫹ x y j ⫹ z k and S is the
2

aboloid z 苷 x 2 ⫹ y 2 below the plane z 苷 1 184 C

rientation
=
35
Easier to use Divergence Theorem as the surface S has 4 faces. To compute the surface
0 x
kes’ Theorem is true for the flux
vectordirectly
field we would need to split the surface flux into 4 parts and parametrize them
2
i ⫹ y 2 j ⫹ z 2 k, where S is individually.
the part of the
苷 1 ⫺ x 2 ⫺ y 2 that lies above the xy-plane and
orientation.
heorem to evaluate xxS 3. F ⴢ)dS
curl(F , where
Let D be the solid
39. square
Find xxS Fcube
ⴢ n dS,of length
where 2 z兲with
F共x, y, 苷 x ione
⫹ y jcorner unit
⫹ z k and S is cube removed. See
2
yz i ⫹ yz 2 j ⫹ z 3e xy k, S is the part of the
the figure below. the outwardly oriented surface shown in the figure (the
2
⫹ z 2 苷 5 that lies above the plane z 苷 1, and boundary surface of a cube with a unit corner cube removed).
pward.
z
heorem to evaluate xC F ⴢ dr, where
y i ⫹ yz j ⫹ z x k, and C is the triangle with
0兲, 共0, 1, 0兲, and 共0, 0, 1兲, oriented counter- (0, 2, 2)
iewed from above. (2, 0, 2)

gence Theorem to calculate the surface integral 1

ere F共x, y, z兲 苷 x 3 i ⫹ y 3 j ⫹ z 3 k and S is the
solid bounded by the cylinder x 2 ⫹ y 2 苷 1 and 1
1
0 and z 苷 2. y
Divergence Theorem is true for the vector x S (2, 2, 0)
苷 x i ⫹ y j ⫹ z k, where E is the unit ball
艋 1.
40. If the components of F have continuous second partial deriva-
utward flux of tives and S is the boundary surface of a simple solid region,
show that xxS curl F ⴢ dS 苷 0.
xi⫹yj⫹zk Page 2
F共x, y, z兲 苷
共x 2 ⫹ y 2 ⫹ z 2 兲 3兾2 41. If a is a constant vector, r 苷 x i ⫹ y j ⫹ z k, and S is an ori-
ented, smooth surface with a simple, closed, smooth,
ipsoid 4 x 2 ⫹ 9y 2 ⫹ 6z 2 苷 36. positively oriented boundary curve C, show that
MATH 2023 Divergence Theorem Problem Set #10
‹
Evaluate the outward flux F · n̂out dS where F = xi + yj + zk. Comment on why it is
S
preferable to use the Divergence Theorem instead of computing the flux directly.

Solution:
∇·F = 3
‹ ˚
F · n̂ dS = ∇ · F dV
S
˚D
= 3 dV = 3 × volume of D
D
= 3(2 − 13 ) = 21.
3

The surface S has 9 faces!!! Without the Divergence Theorem, we will need to compute
the surface flux by split it into 9 parts!

4. (FF) Let C be an arbitrary simple closed curve on the xy-plane in the three dimensional
space, and S is any surface above the xy-plane with boundary curve C. See the figure
below.

Using the Divergence Theorem, show that:

¨
( ai + bj + ck) · n̂ dS = c × area of the region on the xy-plane enclosed by C.
S

Here a, b and c are all constants.

Solution:
∂a ∂b ∂c
∇ · ( ai + bj + ck) = + + = 0 + 0 + 0 = 0.
∂x ∂y ∂z
However, note that S is not a closed surface, but S ∪ R is closed. Apply the Divergence
Theorem on S ∪ R instead:
‹ ˚
( ai + bj + ck) · n̂ dS = ∇
| {z· F} dV = 0.
S∪ R solid enclosed
0
¨ ¨ ˚
( ai + bj + ck) · n̂ dS = ( ai + bj + ck) · (−k) dS = − c dS = −c × area( R)
R R R

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MATH 2023 Divergence Theorem Problem Set #10

Since:
¨ ¨ ¨
( ai + bj + ck) · n̂ dS + ( ai + bj + ck) · n̂ dS = ( ai + bj + ck) · n̂ dS = 0
S R S∪ R

we conclude that:
¨ ¨
( ai + bj + ck) · n̂ dS = − ( ai + bj + ck) · n̂ dS = c × area of R.
S R

5. (FF) Suppose f ( x, y, z) is a C2 function on R3 such that ∇2 f ( x, y, z) = 0 on R3 . Here

∇2 f means the Laplacian of f , i.e. ∇2 f = ∇ · ∇ f = f xx + f yy + f zz .
(a) Show that: ‹ ˚
f ∇ f · n̂ dS = |∇ f |2 dV
S D
for any closed oriented surface S enclosing the solid region D.

Solution:
‹ ˚
f ∇ f · n̂ dS = ∇ · ( f ∇ f ) dV
S
˚D
= (∇ f · ∇ f ) + f ∇ · ∇ f dV
˚D
= |∇ f |2 + f ∇2 f dV
D |{z}
=0
˚
= |∇ f |2 dV
D

(b) If, furthermore, assume that f ( x, y, z) = 0 for any ( x, y, z) on S, what can you say
about f ( x, y, z) for any ( x, y, z) in D?

Solution: If f = 0 on S, then the surface integral:

‹ ‹
f ∇ f · n̂ dS = 0 ∇ f · n̂ dS = 0.
S S

Then from (a), we get: ˚

|∇ f |2 dV = 0
D

Since |∇ f |2 ≥ 0, the only chance that the above integral is zero is that ∇ f = 0
at every point in D. This means f is a constant function is D. By continuity, this
constant must match with the value of f on the boundary S, hence f ≡ 0 in D.

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MATH 2023 Divergence Theorem Problem Set #10

6. (FF) Suppose S is a closed oriented level surface f ( x, y, z) = c of a C2 function f . Denote

D to be the solid enclosed by S. Show that:
‹ ˚
|∇ f | dS = ± ∇2 f dV
S D

where ± depends on whether ∇ f points inward or outward on the surface S.

∇f
Solution: Note that S is the level surface f = c. Hence n̂ = ± |∇ f | .
˚ ˚
2
∇ f dV = ∇ · ∇ f dV
D
‹ D

= ∇ f · n̂ dS
S
‹
∇f
=± ∇f · dS
S |∇ f |
‹ ‹
|∇ f |2
=± dS = ± |∇ f | dS
S |∇ f | S

7. (FF) Given two C2 functions u( x, y, z) and v( x, y, z) defined on R3 . Let S be a closed

oriented surface and D is the solid enclosed by S.
(a) Rewrite ∇ · (u∇v − v∇u) using curl, grad and div.

Solution:
div(u grad(v) − v grad(u)).

(b) Show that ‹ ˚

u∇2 v − v∇2 u dV


(u∇v − v∇u) · n̂ dS =
S D

Solution:
‹ ˚
(u∇v − v∇u) · n̂ dS = ∇ · (u∇v − v∇u) dV
S
˚D
= (∇u · ∇v + u∇ · ∇v − ∇v · ∇u − v∇ · ∇u) dV
˚D
= (u∇2 v − v∇2 u) dV
D

(c) Assume further that ∇u( x, y, z) · n̂ = ∇v( x, y, z) · n̂ = 0 for any ( x, y, z) on S, show

that ˚ ˚
u∇2 v dV = v∇2 u dV.
D D

Solution: Simply apply the result of (b) using the given conditions that ∇u · n̂ =
∇v · n̂ = 0 on S.

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