MATH2023 (Vector Calculus Part) Summary

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2023.05.20

Definition 1. If we have a continuous vector field F and the path C is parametrized by r(t) where t ∈ [a, b], the line
integral of F over C is defined as
ˆ ˆ b ˆ b
F · dr = F · dr = F · r′ (t)dt
C a a

Remark. The value of the line integral is independent of its parametrization.

Remark. There are other ways to denote the line integral (here, F = ⟨Fx , Fy , Fz ⟩ is a vector field, T̂ denotes the tangent
vector of C, and s is an arc-length parametrization of C):
ˆ ˆ ˆ
F · dr = F · T̂ ds = Fx dx + Fy dy + Fz dz
C C C

Definition 2. A vector field F is called a conservative field iff it can be written in the form F = ∇f where f is a scalar
function. We call f the potential function of F.
Theorem 1. If F is conservative, in particular denote F = ∇f , and C is a path going from a to b, then
ˆ
F · dr = f (r(b)) − f (r(a))
C

Corollary 1.1. If C is a closed path, then ˛

F · dr = 0
C

Definition 3. The curl of a vector field is defined as

i j k
∂ ∂ ∂
∇ × F = curl F = ∂x ∂y ∂z
Fx Fy Fz

Definition 4. A region Ω is simply-connected if Ω is connected and every closed loop in Ω can be contracted to a point
continuously without leaving the region Ω.
Theorem 2 (Curl Test). Given a vector field F ∈ C 1 (Ω), then
1. If F = ∇f for some f , then ∇ × F = 0 on Ω.

2. If ∇ × F = 0 and Ω is simply-connected, then F = ∇f for some f .

Definition 5. A curve C is simple closed if the two endpoints coincide and it does not intersect itself at any point other
than the endpoints.
Theorem 3 (Green’s Theorem). Let C ∈ R be simple closed and counter-clockwise oriented. Suppose C encloses region
R. Let F(x, y) ∈ C 1 (R). Then,
˛ ¨ ¨  
∂Fy ∂Fx
F · dr = (∇ × F) · kdA = − dA
C R R ∂x ∂y

Remark. If a surface S is parametrized with r(u, v), then the unit normal on a point of S is given by
∂r ∂r
∂u × ∂v
n̂ = ∂r ∂r
∂u × ∂v

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Definition 6. Given a surface S parametrized by r(u, v) with u ∈ [a, b] and v ∈ [c, d], and scalar-valued f ∈ C 0 (R3 ) the
surface integral of f over S is defined to be
¨ ˆ d ˆ b
∂r ∂r
f dS = f (r(u, v)) × dudv
S c a ∂u ∂v

Notice that we denote the surface element of S with

∂r ∂r
dS = × dudv
∂u ∂v

Definition 7. The surface flux of F through surface S is defined as

¨
F · n̂ dS
S

Theorem 4. Let S be parametrized by r(u, v) where u ∈ [a, b] and v ∈ [c, d]. The surface flux of F through S is given by
¨ ˆ d ˆ b  
∂r ∂r
F · n̂ dS = ± F· × dudv
S c a ∂u ∂v

where the choice of sign is determined by the chosen convention of n̂.

Theorem 5 (Stokes’ Theorem). Let S ∈ R3 be an orientable and simply-connected surface, and C is the boundary curve
of S. Suppose F ∈ C 1 (S), then ˛ ¨
F · dr = (∇ × F) · n̂ dS
C S
where the direction of n̂ is determined by the right-hand rule.
Remark. Note that Green’s Theorem is a special case of the Stokes’ Theorem.
Theorem 6. Let S ∈ R3 be orientable and has n holes. Denote C to be its outer boundary, and Γi (i = 1, 2, . . . , n) be
its inner boundaries. Suppose F ∈ C 1 (S) is a vector field, then
˛ n ˛
X ¨
F · dr − F · dr = (∇ × F) · n̂ dS
C i=1 Γi S

where the direction of n̂ is determined by the right-hand rule applied to the outer boundary C.
Definition 8. The divergence of a vector field F ∈ C 1 (R3 ) is defined as

∂Fx ∂Fy ∂Fz

∇ · F = div F = + +
∂x ∂y ∂z

Theorem 7 (Divergence Theorem). Let S be a closed orientable surface enclosing a simply connected region D. If F is
C 1 in and near D, then ‹ ˚
F · n̂ dS = ∇ · F dV
S D
where n̂ is directed outwards.
Corollary 7.1. If F = ∇ × G for some G, then since

∂ 2 Gz ∂ 2 Gy ∂ 2 Gx ∂ 2 Gz ∂ 2 Gy ∂ 2 Gx
∇ · (∇ × G) = − + − + − =0
∂x∂y ∂x∂z ∂y∂z ∂y∂x ∂z∂x ∂z∂y
by the Mixed Partials Theorem, by Divergence Theorem we have
‹ ‹ ˚
F · n̂ dS = (∇ × G) · n̂ dS = ∇ · (∇ × G) dV = 0
S D

Corollary 7.2. If ∇ · F ̸= 0, then F cannot be the curl of another vector field.