Module 18 : Stokes's theorem and applications

Lecture 54 : Application of Stokes' theorem [Section 54.1]

Objectives

In this section you will learn the following :

Computational applications of Strokes' theorem.

54.1 Applications of Stokes' theorem

Stokes' theorem gives a relation between line integrals and surface integrals. Depending upon the convenience, one
integral can be computed interms of the other.

54.1.1 Example (computation of line integral):

We want to compute

and is the circle in the plane oriented anti-clockwise. To apply Stokes' theorem, let us find a
convenient surface whose boundary is The most natural surface in this case is the circular disc

For if we choose the normal vector to be then will have anti-clockwise orientation, and by Stokes' s
theorem we will have

Since,

we have
54.1.2 Example:

Let us try to apply the above technique to evaluate

and is the circle oriented clockwise. We note that for and hence

whatever be the surface , as long as We also know (see example 47.2.8)that

Thus,

Does this contradict Stokes' theorem? The answer is no. The reason for this is that Stokes' theorem is not applicable for
the given because

is defined in . Thus, there does not exist any surface whose boundary is the unit

circle in the -plane. However, we can still evaluate the integral

as follows: Consider the vector field

. Note that on and if we consider the upper hemisphere given by

, then and . If we select the outward unit normal

on , then gets the anti-clockwise orientation and we have by Stokes' theorem

Let be given the parameterizations :

where is the unit disc in -plane. Then

for . This gives

Also

Hence

54.1.3 Example (Calculation of surface integral):

In the formula

the only relation between and is that . Thus, if and are two surfaces such that

and is defined in a region including have

This is useful in computations. We consider an example. Let us evaluate

is the upper hemispherical sheet

is the unit normal to with non-negative -component. Since

we have by Stokes' theorem

where we select be the circular disc

Thus

Since, , we have

54.1.4 Note (Green's theorem, a particular case of Stokes' theorem):

Consider a planer vector-field.

Let be a region in the -plane with a simple closed curve. If we treat as a flat surface, oriented as
the unit normal, then by Stokes' theorem, treating as a vector field in -space,

which is Green's theorem, since

We showed in section 47.2, that given points and a continuously differentiable vector field on if
the line integral
is independent of the path going to then We also stated that this condition is also sufficient if the
domain is simply connected. We prove this as an application of Stokes' theorem.

54.1.5 Theorem (Conditions for conservativeness):

Let be a simply connected domain in be a continuously differentiable vector field. Then the following
are equivalent:

1. is conservative.

2. is independent of the path joining to .

3. .

In view of the statements above, we only have to show that . Let be any simple closed curve in .
Since is simply connected, we can find an orientable piecewise smooth surface such that . Then
by Stokes' theorem

Hence, by theorem , words.

54.1.6 Physical interpretation of Curl:

Stokes' theorem provides a way of interpreting the of a vector-field in the context of fluid-flows. Consider a small
circular disc of radius a at a point in the domain of . Let be the unit normal to the disc at . Then by Stokes'
theorem

Figure: Flux along

Thus,
Note that gives the component of in the direction of the tangent and hence gives the rotational component of

along . Then is called the circulation density of around . If we let in then we will

have (as error in approximation goes to zero)

For this reason, the normal component of , also called the specific circulation of the fluid at the point .

Note that the specific circulation is maximum when and have the same direction we can interpret
Stokes' theorem.

as follows: the collective measure of rotational tendency is equal to the tendency of the fluid to circulate around its
boundary. Thus, if in , then

i.e., there is no circulation tendency, or one says the fluid is irrotational .

Practice Exercises

1. Using Stokes' theorem, evaluate the integral

where

1. , and is the triangle with vertices oriented

to to .

2. , and is the boundary of the upper hemi-sphere ,

3. and is the rectangle going

oriented from to to to to .

4. , and is the boundary if the paraboloid oriented

clockwise

Answer:

(i)

(ii)
 (iii)

(iv)

2. Let , and be the boundary of the triangle with vertices

. Find the following.

1. Circulation of around the triangle when is oriented counterclockwise.

2. Circulation density of at in the direction .

3. Find the direction of along which the circulation density of at is maximum.

Answer:

(i)

(ii)

(iii)

3. Let S be the upper half of the ellipsoid oriented so that n is upward. For

Evaluate

Replacing S by a suitable simpler surface with the same boundary as that of S.

Answer:

Recap

In this section you have learnt the following

Computational applications of Strokes' theorem.