Department of Physics PHY 103A-First Handout

IIT Kanpur Aug-Dec 2018

1. If r = (t2 + 2t)i − 3e−2t j + 2 sin(5t)k, find the following at t = 0.

dr
(a)
dtdr 
(b)  
dt
d2 r
(c) dt2
 
 2 
(d)  ddt2r 
[If t represents time, then these are the velocity, speed (magnitude of velocity), accelera-
tion and the magnitude of acceleration, respectively for a particle moving along a curve
x = t2 + 2t, y = −3e−2t and 2 sin(5t). ]

2. Gradient, Divergence and curl: If φ = x2 yz 3 and A = xz î − y 2 ĵ + 2x2 y k̂, find the

following:
(a) Gradient: ∇φ
(b) Divergence: ∇ · A
(c) Curl: ∇ × A
(d) Laplacian: ∇2 φ
(e) div(φA)
(f) curl(φA)
(g) If B = xî + y ĵ + z k̂, then evaluate C = (A · ∇)B and D = B(∇ · A). Are the two
vectors C and D identical ?
[Recall that this was the confusion at the end of the lecture on Friday. Now you can
answer it yourself.]

3. Divergence of Curl: For an arbitrary vector V, show that ∇ · (∇ × V) = 0. What

about ∇ × (∇ · V) ?

4. Consider a surface described by an equation φ(x, y, z) = c, where c is a constant.

(a) Show that ∇φ is perpendicular to the surface. [This is related to our argument of
the direction of the gradient being perpendicular to an ”equipotential” surface, if
φ denoted a potential.]
(b) Find a unit vector normal to the surface 2x2 + 4yz − 5z 2 = −10, at the point
P = (3, −1, 2).

5. Prove the following identities:

(a) A × (B × C) = B(A · C) − C(A · B) [This is the BAC-CAB rule as per Griffiths!]
(b) ∇ · (A × B) = B · (∇ × A) − A · (∇ × B)
(c) ∇ × (A × B) = (B · ∇)A − B(∇ · A) − (A · ∇)B + A(∇ · B)
(d) ∇ × (∇ × A) = ∇(∇ · A) − ∇2 A

Phy103A: Electrodynamics Soumik Mukhopadhyay, Amit Agarwal

Phy103A Page 2 of 2 First Handout

6. (*) A particle moves along a space curve r = r(t), where t is the time measured from
some initial time. The magnitude of the velocity of the particle is, v = |dr/dt| = ds/dt,
where s is the arc-length along the space curve measured from some initial position.
Prove that the acceleration of the particle is given by

dv v2
a= T+ N ,
dt ρ
where
 T−1 and N are the unit tangent and unit normal vectors to the space curve and
2
ρ =  dds2r  .