Notes

Assignments for chapter 1

Jian.Luo
jian.luo@nwpu.edu.cn

School of mechanical Engineering,

Northwestern Polytechnical University

October 23, 2017

Problem 1
Notes

Use the method of indicial notation to prove the flowing vector identity.

(a × b) · (c × d) = (a · c)(b · d) − (a · d)(b · c)

Proof:

(a × b) · (c × d) = (a × b)i (c × d)i
= εijk aj bk εilm cl dm
= εijk εilm aj bk cl dm
= (δjl δkm − δjm δkl )aj bk cl dm
= δjl δkm aj bk cl dm − δjm δkl aj bk cl dm
= al bk cl dk − am bk ck dm
= (a · c)(b · d) − (a · d)(b · c)

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Problem 2
Notes
Use the method of indicial notation to prove the flowing vector identity.

∇ × (∇ × F) = ∇(∇ · F) − ∇2 F

Proof:
Only check one component,

∇ × (∇ × F)i = εijk ∇j (∇ × F)k

= εijk ∇j εklm ∇l Fm
= εkij εklm ∇j ∇l Fm
= (δil δjm − δim δjl )∇j ∇l Fm
= δil δjm ∇j ∇l Fm − δim δjl ∇j ∇l Fm
= ∇i ∇m Fm − ∇j ∇j Fi
= ∇i (∇ · F) − ∇2 Fi
= (∇(∇ · F) − ∇2 F )i

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Problem 3
Notes
Use the method of indicial notation to prove the flowing vector identity.

∇ × (F × G) = (G · ∇)F − G(∇ · F) − (F · ∇)G + F(∇ · G)

Proof:
Only check one component,

((∇ × F × G))i = εijk ∇j (F × G)k

= εijk ∇j (εklm Fl Gm )
= εijk εklm ∇j (Fl Gm )
= εkij εklm (Fl ∇j Gm + Gm ∇j Fl )
= (δil δjm − δim δjl )(Fl ∇j Gm + Gm ∇j Fl )
= δil δjm Fl ∇j Gm + δil δjm Gm ∇j Fl − δim δjl Fl ∇j Gm − δim δjl Gm ∇j Fl
= Fi ∇m Gm + Gm ∇m Fi − Fl ∇l Gi − Gi ∇l Fl
= Fi (∇ · G) + (G · ∇)Fi − (F · ∇)Gi − Gi (∇ · F)
= (F (∇ · G) + (G · ∇)F − (F · ∇)G − G(∇ · F))i

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