Discussion on the last lecture

• Gradient
PHY 102 Introduction to Physics II
Spring Semester 2022

Lecture 3

• Divergence of vector fields, its

interpretation
• Visualization of vector fields
Vector function Vector function having
having large positive zero divergence
divergence
Vector function having positive
divergence
 EXERCISE
⃗ ^𝑟
Consider the example of a vector field 𝑨= 𝒓
𝑛

Find out the divergence of the vector field, i.e.

=
n 3 2 1 0 -1 -2 -3 -4

4r 3 0 - -
 ⃗ ^𝑟
𝑨=𝒓
𝑛 An example of
divergent field
is a divergent vector field for ^
𝒓
all values of ‘n’
⃗
𝑨= 2
𝑟

n 3 2 1 0 -1 -2 -3 -4

4r 3 0 - -

Does it imply
A is
convergent
increasing with r field?
decreasing with r
 Visualization of Vector field
A vector-valued function   can be visualized as a vector field.
At a point we plot the value of   as a vector with tail anchored
at , such as in the following figure

We repeat this over a set of points so that we can

realize the entire vector field
For example, consider the function

We calculate values of the function at a set of points,

such as
𝑭 (𝟏 , 𝟎)=(0 , −1)
𝑭 (𝟎 , 𝟏)=(1,0)
𝑭(𝟏,𝟏)=(1,−1)
𝑭 (𝟏 , 𝟐)=(2 ,− 1)
 𝑭 (𝒙 , 𝒚)=( 𝑦 ,− 𝑥 )

𝑭 (𝟏 , 𝟎)=(0 , −1)
𝑭 (𝟎 , 𝟏)=(1,0)
𝑭(𝟏,𝟏)=(1,−1)
𝑭 (𝟏 , 𝟐)=(2 ,− 1)
By plotting each of these vectors anchored at the corresponding points,
we begin to see some of the structure of the vector field.
If we continued plotting such vectors at many points, they would begin
to overlap and look quite messy. Hence, we typically scale the arrows in
vector field plots. In the example, we drew the vectors at only 40% their
actual length. By plotting this field of arrows, we see that the vector
field appears to rotate in a clockwise direction.

Length of vectors
represent magnitude
of the vector function
(i.e field) at that point

𝑭 (𝒙 , 𝒚)=( 𝑦 ,− 𝑥 ) 𝑭 (𝒙 , 𝒚)=(𝑥 , 𝑦 )