1032 |||| CHAPTER 16 VECTOR CALCULUS

Notice also that the gradient vectors are long where the level curves are close to each
other and short where the curves are farther apart. That’s because the length of the gradi-
ent vector is the value of the directional derivative of f and closely spaced level curves
indicate a steep graph. M

A vector field F is called a conservative vector field if it is the gradient of some scalar
function, that is, if there exists a function f such that F 苷 ∇f . In this situation f is called
a potential function for F.
Not all vector fields are conservative, but such fields do arise frequently in physics. For
example, the gravitational field F in Example 4 is conservative because if we define
mMG
f 共x, y, z兲 苷 2 ⫹ y2 ⫹ z2
sx
then
⭸f ⭸f ⭸f
ⵜf 共x, y, z兲 苷 i⫹ j⫹ k
⭸x ⭸y ⭸z
⫺mMGx ⫺mMGy ⫺mMGz
苷 2 3兾2 i ⫹ 2 3兾2 j ⫹ k
共x ⫹ y ⫹ z 兲
2 2
共x ⫹ y ⫹ z 兲
2 2
共x ⫹ y 2 ⫹ z 2 兲3兾2
2

苷 F共x, y, z兲

In Sections 16.3 and 16.5 we will learn how to tell whether or not a given vector field is
conservative.

16.1 EXERCISES

1–10 Sketch the vector field F by drawing a diagram like I 3 II 5

Figure 5 or Figure 9.
1. F共x, y兲 苷 2 共i ⫹ j兲 2. F共x, y兲 苷 i ⫹ x j
1

3. F共x, y兲 苷 y i ⫹ j 4. F共x, y兲 苷 共x ⫺ y兲 i ⫹ x j
1
2 _3 3 _5 5

yi⫹xj yi⫺xj
5. F共x, y兲 苷 6. F共x, y兲 苷
sx 2 ⫹ y 2 sx 2 ⫹ y 2

7. F共x, y, z兲 苷 k _3 _5

8. F共x, y, z兲 苷 ⫺y k III 3 IV 5

9. F共x, y, z兲 苷 x k

10. F共x, y, z兲 苷 j ⫺ i
_3 3 _5 5

11–14 Match the vector fields F with the plots labeled I– IV.
Give reasons for your choices.
11. F共x, y兲 苷 具 y, x典 _3 _5

12. F共x, y兲 苷 具1, sin y典

15–18 Match the vector fields F on ⺢3 with the plots labeled I–IV.
13. F共x, y兲 苷 具x ⫺ 2, x ⫹ 1 典
Give reasons for your choices.
14. F共x, y兲 苷 具 y, 1兾x典 15. F共x, y, z兲 苷 i ⫹ 2 j ⫹ 3 k 16. F共x, y, z兲 苷 i ⫹ 2 j ⫹ z k
 SECTION 16.1 VECTOR FIELDS |||| 1033

17. F共x, y, z兲 苷 x i ⫹ y j ⫹ 3 k 31. f 共x, y兲 苷 共x ⫹ y兲2 32. f 共x, y兲 苷 sin sx 2 ⫹ y 2

18. F共x, y, z兲 苷 x i ⫹ y j ⫹ z k I 4 II 4

I II

1 1 _4 4 _4 4
z 0 z 0

_1 _1

_1
_1 _1 0 0 _4 _4
_1 0 1 0x y 1 1 x
y 1

III 4 IV 4
III IV

1
1
z 0 z 0 _4 4 _4 4
_1 _1

_1 _1
_1 0 0 _1 0 1 1 0x
y 1 1 x y _4 _4

CAS 19. If you have a CAS that plots vector fields (the command 33. A particle moves in a velocity field V共x, y兲 苷 具x 2, x ⫹ y 2 典 .
is fieldplot in Maple and PlotVectorField in If it is at position 共2, 1兲 at time t 苷 3, estimate its location at
Mathematica), use it to plot time t 苷 3.01.
F共x, y兲 苷 共 y 2 ⫺ 2 x y兲 i ⫹ 共3x y ⫺ 6 x 2 兲 j 34. At time t 苷 1 , a particle is located at position 共1, 3兲. If it
Explain the appearance by finding the set of points 共x, y兲 moves in a velocity field
such that F共x, y兲 苷 0.
F共x, y兲 苷 具xy ⫺ 2, y 2 ⫺ 10典
CAS 20. Let F共x兲 苷 共r 2 ⫺ 2r兲x, where x 苷 具x, y典 and r 苷 x . Use a ⱍ ⱍ find its approximate location at time t 苷 1.05 .
CAS to plot this vector field in various domains until you can
see what is happening. Describe the appearance of the plot
35. The flow lines (or streamlines) of a vector field are the paths
and explain it by finding the points where F共x兲 苷 0.
followed by a particle whose velocity field is the given vector
21–24 Find the gradient vector field of f . field. Thus the vectors in a vector field are tangent to the flow
lines.
21. f 共x, y兲 苷 xe xy 22. f 共x, y兲 苷 tan共3x ⫺ 4y兲 (a) Use a sketch of the vector field F共x, y兲 苷 x i ⫺ y j to
23. f 共x, y, z兲 苷 sx ⫹ y ⫹ z
2 2 2
24. f 共x, y, z兲 苷 x cos共 y兾z兲 draw some flow lines. From your sketches, can you guess
the equations of the flow lines?
(b) If parametric equations of a flow line are x 苷 x共t兲,
25–26 Find the gradient vector field ∇ f of f and sketch it. y 苷 y共t兲, explain why these functions satisfy the differ-
25. f 共x, y兲 苷 x 2 ⫺ y 26. f 共x, y兲 苷 sx 2 ⫹ y 2 ential equations dx兾dt 苷 x and dy兾dt 苷 ⫺y. Then solve
the differential equations to find an equation of the flow
line that passes through the point (1, 1).
CAS 27–28 Plot the gradient vector field of f together with a contour
36. (a) Sketch the vector field F共x, y兲 苷 i ⫹ x j and then sketch
map of f . Explain how they are related to each other.
some flow lines. What shape do these flow lines appear
27. f 共x, y兲 苷 sin x ⫹ sin y 28. f 共x, y兲 苷 sin共x ⫹ y兲 to have?
(b) If parametric equations of the flow lines are x 苷 x共t兲,
y 苷 y共t兲, what differential equations do these functions
29–32 Match the functions f with the plots of their gradient
satisfy? Deduce that dy兾dx 苷 x.
vector fields (labeled I– IV). Give reasons for your choices.
(c) If a particle starts at the origin in the velocity field given
29. f 共x, y兲 苷 x 2 ⫹ y 2 30. f 共x, y兲 苷 x共x ⫹ y兲 by F, find an equation of the path it follows.
 APPENDIX I ANSWERS TO ODD-NUMBERED EXERCISES |||| A125

CHAPTER 16 27. 6

EXERCISES 16.1 N PAGE 1032

1. y
6 6

_2 _1 0 1 x 6

_1 29. III 31. II 33. 共2.04, 1.03兲

35. (a) y (b) y 苷 1兾x, x  0
_2

3. y 5. y

0 x
2

0 2 x 0 x

y 苷 C兾x
_2

EXERCISES 16.2 N PAGE 1043

7. 9. 共145 1兲 9. s5 
1 3兾2 243 17
z z 1. 54 3. 1638.4 5. 8 7. 3
s14 共e 6 1兲
1 1 97
11. 12 13. 5 15. 3
17. (a) Positive (b) Negative
21. 5 cos 1 sin 1
6
19. 45 23. 1.9633 25. 15.0074
x
27. 3 
2
y 2.5
x y 3

11. II 13. I 15. IV 17. III 2.5 2 .5

19. 4.5 The line y 苷 2x

2.5

4.5 4.5
1兾e
11
29. (a) 8 (b) 1.6

F(r(1))

4.5 1
F ” r ”        ’’
2
œ„
21.
f 共x, y兲 苷 共xy  1兲e xy i  x 2e xy j
x F(r(0))
23.
f 共x, y, z兲 苷 i 0 1 1.6
sx 2  y 2  z 2
y z 0.2
 j k
sx 2  y 2  z 2 sx 2  y 2  z 2
s2 共1 e 14  兲 33. 2k, 共4兾, 0兲
172,704
31. 5,632,705
25.
f 共x, y兲 苷 2x i j
y
35. (a) x 苷 共1兾m兲 xC x 共x, y, z兲 ds,
2 y 苷 共1兾m兲 xC y 共x, y, z兲 ds,
z 苷 共1兾m兲 xC z 共x, y, z兲 ds, where m 苷 xC  共x, y, z兲 ds
_6 _4 _2 0 4 6 x (b) 共0, 0, 3兲
37. Ix 苷 k ( 2  3 ), Iy 苷 k ( 2  3 )
1 4 1 2
_2
39. 2 2
41. 26 43. 1.67  10 4 ft-lb 45. (b) Yes
47. ⬇22 J