Section 10.

2
Path Independence of Line Integral
 Path Independence of line integral
As before and we shall now find conditions under which (1) is path independent in a domain D in space.

( (1)

By definition this means that for every pair of end points A, B in D the integral (1) has the same value for all paths in
D that begin at A and end at B.

Path independence is important. For instance , in mechanics it may mean that we have to do the same amount of
work regardless of the path of mountaintop , be it short or steep or long or gentle. We shall follow up three ideas
that will give path independence of (1) in a domain D if and only if :
f is called a potential of F where F = grad f. Thus the integral (1) is
independent of path in D if and only if F is the gradient of a potential
in D.
  
Theorem 2 :
The integral (1) is path independent in a domain D if and only if its value around
every closed path in D is zero.
If we have path independence , then integration from A to B along and along in Figure gives
the same value. Now and together make up a closed curve C, and if we integrate from A along
to B as before, but in the opposite sense along back to A (so that this second integral is
multiplied by -1), the sum of the two integrals is zero but this is the integral around the closed
curve C. Conversely , assume that the integral around the closed path C in D is zero. Given any
points A and B and any two curves and from A to B in D, we see that with the orientation
reserved and together form a closed path C. By assumption the integral over C is zero. Hence
the integrals over and both taken from A to B must be equal. This proves the theorem.
 Work. Conservative and Nonconservative (Dissipative ) physical
systems
Theorem 2 states that work is path independent in D if and only if its value is zero
for displacement around every closed path in D. Theorem 1 tells us that this
happens if and only if F is the gradient of a potential in D. In this case F and vector
field defined by F are called conservative in D because in this case mechanical
energy is conserved, that is , no work is done in the displacement from a point A
and back to A.
Physically, the kinetic energy of a body can be interpreted as the ability of the
body to do work by virtue of its motion, and if the body moves in a conservative
field force, after the completion of a round trip the body will return to its initial
position with the same kinetic energy it has originally. For instance , the
gravitational force is conservative if we throw a ball vertically up, it will return to
our hands with the same kinetic energy it had when it left our hand.
 (4)  
This form is called exact in a domain D in space if it is the differential

of a differential function everywhere in D, that is , if we have

Comparing these two formulas, we see that the form (4) is exact if and only if there is a differentiable function
in D such that everywhere in D.

thus (5)

Theorem : Path Independence

The integral (1) is path independent in a domain D in space if and only if the differential form (4) has continuous
coefficient functions and is exact in D.

A domain D is called simply connected if every closed curve in D can be continuously shrunk to any point D
without leaving D.
Show that form under the integral sign is exact and hence evaluate
  the same by finding a potential function
Solution :

=0

Hence is exact
To find the potential function
  

Hence , k constant
To evaluate the integral,
Show that is a conservative vector. Evaluate  
=0
F is conservative. Hence is path independent.
  
Practice problems
1. Evaluate the integral

From A: (0,1,2) to B: (1,-1,7) by showing that F has a potential

Answer : 6
2. Check for path independence . In case of path independence integrate from (0,0,0) to (a,b,c)

Answer : path dependent , F is not conservative.

Answer:
Answer: