VECTOR

DIFFERENTIATION
Rei Punu
Lesson Outline:
❏ Ordinary Derivatives of Vectors
❏ Space Curves
❏ Continuity and Differentiability
❏ Partial Derivatives of Vectors
❏ Differential of Vectors
❏ Ordinary Derivatives of Vectors
Let R(u) be a vector depending on a scalar variable u.
The ordinary derivative of the vector R(u) with respect to the scalar u is given
by:

given that the limit exists.

❏ Space Curves
If in particular R(u) is the position vector r(u) joining the origin 0 of a coordinate
system and any point (x, y, z), then,
and specification of the vector function r(u) defines x, y and z as functions of u.

If exists then limit will be a vector in the direction of the tangent

to the space curve at (x,y,z) and is given by:
❏ Continuity and Differentiability
● A scalar function is continuous at u if
● A vector function is continuous at u if
the three scalar functions are continuous at u if

● A scalar or vector function of u is called differentiable of order n if its nth

derivative exists.
❏ Differentiation Formulas
If A, B and C are differentiable vector functions of a scalar u, and ∅ is a
differentiable scalar function of u, then:

Addition:

Dot:

Cross:
❏ Partial Derivatives of Vectors
If A is a vector depending on more than one scalar variable, say x, y, z for
example, then we write A = A(x, y, z). The partial derivative of A with respect to x
is defined as:

if this limit exists.

Similarly,

are the partial derivatives of A with respect to y and z respectively if these limits
exist.
Higher derivatives (as defined in Calculus)
Rules for Partial Differentiation
Dot:

Cross:

Second Degree

Dot:
❏ Derivatives of Vectors