Mathematics 117: Lecture Notes for Curves and Surfaces

Curvature, torsion and the Frenet-Serret equations

Consider a unit speed space curve , so its parameter is arc length s and we shall write =

: [a, b] E3

The curvature of is the norm of its acceleration

[](s) = (s)

(15)



(16)

It is easy to show that the velocity vector is perpendicular to the acceleration vector by
dierentiating ( ) = 1. So if we take their cross product we get a vector perpendicular to both;
we have only three dimensions and so the derivative of the new vector must be expressible in terms
of the others. In this way, three, mutually perpendicular unit vectors {T, N, B} arise at each point:
T = , N = T / and B = T N. These vector functions along the curve with curvature are
controlled by the famous
Frenet-Serret equations for unit-speed curves:

T

= N

recall that we have > 0

(17)
N
B
= T + B
= N
(18)
(19)

Here, N is the principal normal, B is the binormal and is the torsion. {T, N, B} is called the
Frenet frame eld along , and consists of three mutually perpendicular unit vectorsa triad
that moves along the curve with T pointing always forward. We can easily solve for as follows:



=

T,

= T = N

(20)

...

...

=
=
=



.
B, || || =
N + N = N + (T + B)
(21)
(22)
(23)

For a regular curve with arbitrary speed = || || = v > 0, we have (s(t)) = (t), so
s = v = and T = T v, then

T = /v,

B = T N,

B =

|| ||

(24)

and the Frenet-Serret equations for arbitrary-speed curves:

= vN

recall that we have > 0

(25)
N
B
where
= vT + v B
= v N






(26)
(27)



5.2
Exercises

Here, is the unit speed curve in equation (15).

1. Show that the helix
s s s
: [0, 10] E3 : s (2 cos( ), 2 sin( ), )
5 5 5
is a unit speed curve and has constant curvature and torsion.
2. Why do we always have [] 0?
3. For all s, (s) (s) = 0; so the acceleration is always perpendicular to the acceleration along


3
2
|| ||
28

29
|| || .
v

5.1

ds









2


(30)
unit-speed curves. What about (t) (t) on arbitrary speed curves?