Linear Methods

Quick links
q

q q q q

Copyright 1994-2000 Contents Index Bios

History of Math

Linear Methods of Applied Mathematics Evans M. Harrell II and James V. Herod*

* Copyright 1994-2000 by Evans M. Harrell II and James V. Herod. All rights reserved.

This document collects some standard vector identities and relationships among coordinate systems in three dimensions. It is assumed that all vector fields are differentiable arbitrarily often; if the vector field is not sufficiently smooth, some of these formulae are in doubt. Basic formulae

q q q

Harrell (msg) Herod (msg) Maple Mathematica

Mathphysics. com

1. The dot product quantifies the correlation between the vectors aand b. 2. The cross product is the area of the parallelogram spanned by the vectors aand b. Notice that Unlike the dot product, which works in all dimensions, the cross product is special to three dimensions. 3. The triple product has the value of the determinant of the matrix consisting of a, b, and cas row vectors. It is unchanged by cyclic permutation: Although the cross product is strictly three-dimensional, the generalization of the triple product as a determinant is useful in all dimensions. 4. Other multiple products. 5. The gradient is defined on a scalar field f and produces a vector field, denoted It quantifies the rate of change and points in the direction of greatest change. 6. The divergence is defined on a vector field v and produces a scalar field, denoted It quantifies the tendency of neighboring vectors to point away

http://www.mathphysics.com/pde/ (1 of 4)23/11/2006 16:41:00

Linear Methods

from one another (or towards one another, if negative) 7. The curl is defined on a vector field and produces another vector field, except that the curl of a vector field is not affected by reflection in the Unlike same way as the vector field is. It is denoted the gradient and the divergence, which work in all dimensions, the curl is special to three dimensions. 8. The Laplacian is defined as

9. Product rules: or, equivalently, grad (f g) = f grad g + g grad f or, equivalently, div(f v) = f div v+ grad f . v or, equivalently, curl(f v) = f curl v+ grad fXv 10. Chain rules or, equivalently, grad f(g(x)) = f'(g(x)) grad g(x) or, equivalently, df(w(t))/dt = grad f(w (t)) w'(t)

11. Integral identities ( Green's, Gauss's, and Stokes's identities): Green's identities: 1. 2. Gauss's divergence theorem:
r

Stokes's theorem:

12. Relationships among the common three-dimensional coordinate systems. r Cartesian in spherical
http://www.mathphysics.com/pde/ (2 of 4)23/11/2006 16:41:00

Linear Methods

Cartesian in cylindrical

spherical in Cartesian

spherical in cylindrical

cylindrical in Cartesian

cylindrical in spherical

13. Cylindrical vector calculus. Let ek denote the unit vector in the direction of increase of coordinate k. Then
r

14. Spherical vector calculus. Let ek denote the unit vector in the direction of increase of coordinate k. Then
r

http://www.mathphysics.com/pde/ (3 of 4)23/11/2006 16:41:00

Linear Methods

Return to Table of Contents Return to Evans Harrell's home page

http://www.mathphysics.com/pde/ (4 of 4)23/11/2006 16:41:00