Griffiths Electrodynamics 4e: Problem 1.

22 Page 1 of 3

Problem 1.22
(a) If A and B are two vector functions, what does the expression (A · ∇)B mean? (That is,
what are its x, y, and z components, in terms of the Cartesian components of A, B, and ∇?)
(b) Compute (r̂ · ∇)r̂, where r̂ is the unit vector defined in Eq. 1.21.
(c) For the functions in Prob. 1.15, evaluate (va · ∇)vb .

Solution

Part (a)

Evaluate (A · ∇)B explicitly.

 !  3 
3 3
!
X X ∂ X
(A · ∇)B =  δ i Ai ·  δj  δk B k
∂xj
i=1 j=1 k=1
 
3 X
3 3
!
X ∂ X
= (δi · δj )Ai  δk B k
∂xj
i=1 j=1 k=1
 
3 X
3 3
!
X ∂  X
= δij Ai δk B k
∂xj
i=1 j=1 k=1

3 3
! !
X ∂ X
= Ai δk Bk
∂xi
i=1 k=1

3 X
3
X ∂Bk
= δ k Ai
∂xi
i=1 k=1

3  
X ∂B1 ∂B2 ∂B3
= δ1 Ai + δ 2 Ai + δ 3 Ai
∂xi ∂xi ∂xi
i=1

∂B1 ∂B2 ∂B3

= δ1 A1 + δ 2 A1 + δ 3 A1
∂x1 ∂x1 ∂x1
∂B1 ∂B2 ∂B3
+ δ1 A2 + δ 2 A2 + δ 3 A2
∂x2 ∂x2 ∂x2
∂B1 ∂B2 ∂B3
+ δ1 A3 + δ 2 A3 + δ 3 A3
∂x3 ∂x3 ∂x3
 
∂Bx ∂Bx ∂Bx
= x̂ Ax + Ay + Az
∂x ∂y ∂z
 
∂By ∂By ∂By
+ ŷ Ax + Ay + Az
∂x ∂y ∂z
 
∂Bz ∂Bz ∂Bz
+ ẑ Ax + Ay + Az
∂x ∂y ∂z

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Griffiths Electrodynamics 4e: Problem 1.22

Part (b)

The radial unit vector from the origin is defined as

r xx̂ + yŷ + zẑ x y z
r̂ = =p =p x̂ + p ŷ + p ẑ.
|r| 2
x +y +z 2 2 2 2
x +y +z 2 2 2
x +y +z 2 x + y2 + z2
2

Use the formula from part (a) to evaluate (r̂ · ∇)r̂.

" ! ! !#
x ∂ x y ∂ x z ∂ x
(r̂ · ∇)r̂ = x̂ p p +p p +p p
x2 + y 2 + z 2 ∂x x2 + y 2 + z 2 x2 + y 2 + z 2 ∂y x2 + y 2 + z 2 x2 + y 2 + z 2 ∂z x2 + y 2 + z 2
" ! ! !#
x ∂ y y ∂ y z ∂ y
+ ŷ p p +p p +p p
x2 + y 2 + z 2 ∂x x2 + y 2 + z 2 x2 + y 2 + z 2 ∂y x2 + y 2 + z 2 x2 + y 2 + z 2 ∂z x2 + y 2 + z 2
" ! ! !#
x ∂ z y ∂ z z ∂ z
+ ẑ p p +p p +p p
x2 + y 2 + z 2 ∂x x2 + y 2 + z 2 x2 + y 2 + z 2 ∂y x2 + y 2 + z 2 x2 + y 2 + z 2 ∂z x2 + y 2 + z 2
( )
y2 + z2
    
x y xy z xz
= x̂ p +p − 2 +p − 2
x2 + y 2 + z 2 (x2 + y 2 + z 2 )3/2 x2 + y 2 + z 2 (x + y 2 + z 2 )3/2 x2 + y 2 + z 2 (x + y 2 + z 2 )3/2
( )
x2 + z 2
    
x xy y z yz
+ ŷ p − 2 +p +p − 2
x2 + y 2 + z 2 (x + y 2 + z 2 )3/2 x2 + y 2 + z 2 (x2 + y 2 + z 2 )3/2 x2 + y 2 + z 2 (x + y 2 + z 2 )3/2
( )
x2 + y 2
    
x xz y yz z
+ ẑ p − 2 +p − 2 +p
x2 + y 2 + z 2 (x + y 2 + z 2 )3/2 x2 + y 2 + z 2 (x + y 2 + z 2 )3/2 x2 + y 2 + z 2 (x2 + y 2 + z 2 )3/2

xy 2 + xz 2 xy 2 xz 2
 
= x̂ − −
(x2 + y 2 + z 2 )2 (x2 + y 2 + z 2 )2 (x2 + y 2 + z 2 )2
yx2 yx2 + yz 2 yz 2
 
+ ŷ − 2 + −
(x + y 2 + z 2 )2 (x2 + y 2 + z 2 )2 (x2 + y 2 + z 2 )2

Page 2 of 3
zx2 zy 2 zx2 + zy 2
 
+ ẑ − 2 − + = 0x̂ + 0ŷ + 0ẑ = 0
(x + y 2 + z 2 )2 (x2 + y 2 + z 2 )2 (x2 + y 2 + z 2 )2
Griffiths Electrodynamics 4e: Problem 1.22 Page 3 of 3

Part (c)

The three vector functions in Prob. 1.15 are

(a) va = x2 x̂ + 3xz 2 ŷ − 2xzẑ

(b) vb = xyx̂ + 2yzŷ + 3zxẑ

(c) vc = y 2 x̂ + (2xy + z 2 )ŷ + 2yzẑ.

Use the formula from part (a) to evaluate (va · ∇)vb .

 
2 ∂ 2 ∂ ∂
(va · ∇)vb = x̂ x (xy) + 3xz (xy) − 2xz (xy)
∂x ∂y ∂z
 
2 ∂ 2 ∂ ∂
+ ŷ x (2yz) + 3xz (2yz) − 2xz (2yz)
∂x ∂y ∂z
 
2 ∂ 2 ∂ ∂
+ ẑ x (3zx) + 3xz (3zx) − 2xz (3zx)
∂x ∂y ∂z

= x̂ x (y) + 3xz 2 (x) − 2xz(0)

 2 

+ ŷ x2 (0) + 3xz 2 (2z) − 2xz(2y)

 

+ ẑ x2 (3z) + 3xz 2 (0) − 2xz(3x)

 

= (x2 y + 3x2 z 2 )x̂ + (6xz 3 − 4xyz)ŷ − 3x2 zẑ

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