Gradient Operator:

Gradient is a vector differential operator which operates on a scalar field to produce the vector field
in the direction of the maximum rate of change of the scalar field. The magnitude of the the gradient
of scalar field is rate of change of the scalar field. In other words, it calculate the normal vector
for the scalar field. So, Gradient of any scalar function is perpendicular to that scalar function.

Let us assume a scalar field T which varies in space. So, T is a function of space coordinates x, y,
and z. Since T is function of more than one independent variable, the small change in function
dT(x,y,z) for the small displacement dx in x direction, dy in y direction and dz in z direction, can be
expanded in terms of their partial derivatives with respect to x, y and z,

Here, the dot product can be used to separate the partial derivative terms and the displacement
elements.

The second term is small displacement vector dr and the first term measures the rate of change of T
at every point (x,y,z). So, dT is the component of rate of change of T along the small length element
dr.

In the first term, T is common in all partial derivative term, so we can take this out side.
Then,

Here the first term is generally known as del operator.

If del operates on a scalar field it is called as gradient operator. If del operates on a vector field,
depending on how it operates on the vector field, it may be called as divergence or curl operator.
give the gradient of the scalar field.

y
grad T
x
Let us take the small example of heated rectangular plate. The plate is heated from its one
end, so the temperature T is not uniform. T is function of space coordinates x,y, and z. To make it as
simple case, I assume that the T value does not change in y and z direction because there is no heat
source in the y direction and the the thickness of the plate is negligible. From the temperature color
coding you can clearly understand that the color does not changes when we move in the y direction.
Red indicates the hotness and green indicates the coldness. So the T value will increase only if we
move toward the hot end (ie., +x direction). After these assumptions, T becomes a function of only
x. Then the directional derivative (dT) along y and z direction is zero but dT is maximum in +x
direction since, the change of T is maximum along the x direction. This can be readily understood
from the dot product. If Grad(T) and dr are in the same direction the dot product is maximum. If
Grad(T) and dr are perpendicular to each other, then dT = 0. So the maximum change of T will be
in the +x direction which is the direction of the Grad(T).

Home Work Problems:

1. Calculate the gradient of the following scalar functions

F = x 2 + y2
P = 1/(x2 + y2 + z2)
R = xy + yz + zx

2. Calculate the unit normal vectors for the above scalar field

F = x 2 + y2
P = 1/(x2 + y2 + z2)
R = xy + yz + zx

3. A circular hot plate is heated from its center. So the temperature distribution in the plate is as
shown below. Draw the direction of gradient of T. The heat source is at x=0 and y=0.

4. Draw the gradient of the following function Q(x,y) at A, B, C, D and E.

A
B
Q E

C D