NPTEL – Physics – Mathematical Physics - 1

Lecture 2
Physical examples of gradient

1. An electric dipole moment 𝑝⃗ located at origin, creates a potential at 𝑟⃗ given by,

𝑝.𝑟⃗
V(𝑟⃗) = K , where K is a constant.
𝑟3
𝑑 𝑑 𝑑
Find the electric field 𝐸⃗⃗ = - ∇ ⃗⃗ is an operator given by ⃗∇⃗= ( iˆ
⃗⃗ V (𝑟⃗). Where ∇ + ĵ + k̂ )
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑧

Solution

𝑑 𝑑 𝑑 (𝑥 + 𝑦 + 𝑧)
𝐸⃗⃗ = −𝑝 (𝑥̂ + 𝑦̂ + )
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑧 (𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 + 𝑧 2 )3⁄2

The 𝑥̂ component yields,

1 3𝑥 2
= −𝑝 [ 3⁄ − 5⁄ ] x̂
(𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 + 𝑧 2 ) 2 (𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 + 𝑧 2 ) 2

Putting the contribution from ŷ and ẑ

3𝑝 2 𝑝 r̂
𝐸⃗⃗ = 5
(𝑥 x̂ + 𝑦 2 ŷ + 𝑧 2 ẑ ) − 3
𝑟 𝑟

1
2. For a position vector 𝑟⃗, calculate ⃗∇⃗𝑟 𝑛 and use this result to calculate ⃗∇⃗(𝑟).

Solution

⃗⃗𝑟 𝑛 = ( 𝑥̂ 𝑑 + ŷ
∇
𝑑
+ ẑ
𝑑
)𝑟 𝑛
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑧

𝑑𝑟 𝑑𝑟 𝑑𝑟
= 𝑥̂ 𝑛𝑟 𝑛−1 𝑑𝑥 + ŷ 𝑛𝑟 𝑛−1 𝑑𝑦 + 𝑧̂ 𝑛𝑟 𝑛−1 𝑑𝑧

𝑑𝑟 𝑑𝑟 𝑑𝑟
= 𝑛𝑟 𝑛−1 [ x̂ + ŷ + ẑ ]
𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑧

Using 𝑟 2 = 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 + 𝑧 2

𝑑𝑟 𝑥 𝑑𝑟 𝑦 𝑑𝑟 𝑧
= , = , =
𝑑𝑥 𝑟 𝑑𝑦 𝑟 𝑑𝑧 𝑟

⃗⃗𝑟 𝑛 = 𝑛𝑟 𝑛−2 (𝑥 x̂ + 𝑦 ŷ + 𝑧 ẑ )
∇

= 𝑛𝑟 𝑛−2 𝑟⃗

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NPTEL – Physics – Mathematical Physics - 1

1
To calculate ⃗∇⃗ ( ), put n =-1
𝑟

1 𝑟⃗
⃗⃗( ) =
∇
𝑟 𝑟3

1 𝑟⃗
The potential due to a point change goes as , so electric field goes as
𝑟 𝑟3

Exercise

Two identical point charges of magnitude Q at (1, 0, 0) and (-1, 0, 0). The potential in the xy plane is
given by,

𝑄 1 1
V(x, y, z =0) = [ + ]
4𝜋𝜖0 √(𝑥−1)2 +𝑦 2 √(𝑥+1)2 +𝑦 2

Find the electric field using, 𝐸⃗⃗ = - 𝛻⃗⃗𝑉.

Formal definition and properties of a Gradient

⃗⃗𝑔(𝑟⃗) = 0 denotes a
Thus gradient represents a direction that is perpendicular to the surface 𝑔(𝑟⃗). ∇
minimum or a maximum or a saddle point (saddle point is defined as the one that is minimum in one
direction, but is maximum in the other direction.

Let us consider a scalar function 𝜑(𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧). A change in 𝜑 is given by,

𝜕𝜑 𝜕𝜑 𝜕𝜑
𝑑𝜑 = ( 𝜕𝑦 ) 𝑑𝑥 + ( 𝜕y ) 𝑑𝑦 + ( 𝜕z ) 𝑑𝑧 ∗

Example

Find ⃗∇⃗ 𝜑 and |∇

⃗⃗ 𝜑| for 𝜑 = 2𝑥𝑧 4 - 𝑥 2 y at the point (2,-2,-1).

Solution

𝜑 = 2𝑥𝑧 4 - 𝑥 2 𝑦

⃗∇⃗𝜑 = x̂ [2𝑧 4 − 2𝑥𝑦] + ŷ [−𝑥 2 ] + ẑ [8𝑥𝑧 3 ]

⃗⃗⃗⃗
|∇ 𝜑|(2,−2,−1) = 10 x̂ −4𝑦 − 16𝑧 3

⃗⃗𝜑| = 2√93
Then |∇

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Exercise problem

The above equation can be written as,

𝜕𝜑 𝜕𝜑 𝜕𝜑
⃗ 𝜑. 𝑑𝑙 with
𝑑𝜑 = ∇ ⃗∇𝜑 = x̂ + ŷ + ẑ and 𝑑𝑙 is a differential length element
𝜕𝑥 𝜕𝑦 𝜕𝑧
given by,

𝑑𝑙 = 𝑥̂ 𝑑𝑥 + 𝑦̂ 𝑑𝑦 + 𝑧̂ 𝑑𝑧

𝑑𝜑
The ⃗∇𝜑 is a vector where magnitude is the maximum value of and whose direction is the
𝑑𝑙
𝑑𝜑
direction in which is maximum.
𝑑𝑙

Exercise

Find a unit vector perpendicular to the surface 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 + 𝑧 2 = 1 at the point (4,2,3).

Before we wind up our discussion on gradient, we wish to remind the reader that gradient of a function 𝜑,
⃗⃗𝜑 is perpendicular to the surface 𝜑 = constant. Thus, considering a physical situation that four
that is ∇
sound boxes are located at four corners of the room, each emitting a music of different frequency and
intensity, if we ask a question that what is the distribution of sound intensity in the room. Gradient of this
intensity function will tell you the direction along which the change is most rapid.

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