Differentiation of Vector Functions Gradient
Differentiation of Vector Functions Gradient
Functions, Gradient
Course name: Engineering Mathematics-II
Course Code: C1UC222B
Session No. 1
Duration: 50 Minutes
Date of Conduction of Class: 03-03-2025
Instructor name:
Department of Mathematics
School of Basic Sciences
Galgotias University
Preliminaries
The physical quantities may be divided into two parts: (1)
Scalar (2) Vector.
• Scalar: A scalar is a quantity having magnitude but no
direction. Scalars are invariant under coordinate
transformations, meaning they remain unchanged
regardless of the chosen coordinate system.
Examples:
◦ Temperature (T) at a point in space.
◦ Pressure (P) in a fluid.
◦ Electric Potential (V ) at a location in an electric field.
Course name: Engineering Mathematics-II , Course Code: C1UC222B, February 28, 2025. 3 of 29 pages
Vector
• Vector : A vector is a quantity having both magnitude and
direction. Unlike scalar quantities, vectors change when
the coordinate system is rotated or transformed.
Course name: Engineering Mathematics-II , Course Code: C1UC222B, February 28, 2025. 4 of 29 pages
Figure: Here is a 3D visualization of a vector field, where arrows
indicate both the direction and magnitude of the vector quantity at
different points.
Example
If ⃗a = 3î + 4ĵ + 5k̂ and ⃗b = 2î − ĵ + 3k̂ are two vectors then dot
product of ⃗a and ⃗b is given as
⃗a.⃗b = (3î + 4ĵ + 5k̂).(2î − ĵ + 3k̂) = 6 − 4 + 15 = 17
This means the dot product of A and B is 17, which is a scalar
quantity
Course name: Engineering Mathematics-II , Course Code: C1UC222B, February 28, 2025. 6 of 29 pages
Cross Product of Two Vectors
Vector or Cross Product
If ⃗a = a1 î + a2 ĵ + a3 k̂ and ⃗b = b1 î + b2 ĵ + b3 k̂ are two vectors
then dot product of ⃗a and ⃗b are denoted and defined as
î ĵ k̂
⃗a × ⃗b = a1 a2 a3
b1 b2 b3
Example
If ⃗a = 3î + 4ĵ + 5k̂ and ⃗b = 2î − ĵ + 3k̂ are two vectors then the
î ĵ k̂
cross product of ⃗a and ⃗b is given as ⃗a × ⃗b = 3 4 5
2 −1 3
Course name: Engineering Mathematics-II , Course Code: C1UC222B, February 28, 2025. 7 of 29 pages
Vector Differentiation:
• Vector differentiation extends differentiation to vector
functions.
Let r(t) is a vector function of a scalar parameter t. It is
also known as position vector of a moving object.
r(t) = x(t)î + y (t)ĵ + z(t)k̂ .
• Its derivative is:
dr dx dy dz
v= = î + ĵ + k̂
dt dt dt dt
This represents the velocity of a particle moving along a
path.
• Acceleration a is the first derivative of velocity (or second
d 2r
derivative of position): a = dv
dt = dt 2
Course name: Engineering Mathematics-II , Course Code: C1UC222B, February 28, 2025. 8 of 29 pages
Example
Example
• Step 1: Velocity:
v = dr 3 2
dt = 4t î + 9t ĵ + 4t k̂
• Step 2: Acceleration:
dv
a= dt = 12t 2 î + 18t ĵ + 4k̂
Course name: Engineering Mathematics-II , Course Code: C1UC222B, February 28, 2025. 9 of 29 pages
Learning Activity
Problem Solving
Consider the position function:
r(t) = t 5 î + 2t 4 ĵ + 3t 3 k̂ then find the following
vectors.
• Velocity:
• Acceleration:
• Jerk: The first derivative of Acceleration.
• Snap: The first derivative of Jerk.
Course name: Engineering Mathematics-II , Course Code: C1UC222B, February 28, 2025. 10 of 29 pages
Learning Outcomes:
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
• Compute the gradient of a function in Cartesian
coordinates.
• Determine the unit normal vector using gradient.
Course name: Engineering Mathematics-II , Course Code: C1UC222B, February 28, 2025. 11 of 29 pages
Opening Question:
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Vector Differentiation
Differentiation Operator
Differentiation operator is the Del operator.
⃗ =
The del operator is denoted and defined as ∇ ∂ ∂ ∂
∂x i + ∂y j + ∂z k
Course name: Engineering Mathematics-II , Course Code: C1UC222B, February 28, 2025. 13 of 29 pages
Example:1
Consider the function:
f (x, y, z) = x 2 + y 2 + z 2
∂f ∂f ∂f
= 2x, = 2y, = 2z
∂x ∂y ∂z
Course name: Engineering Mathematics-II , Course Code: C1UC222B, February 28, 2025. 14 of 29 pages
Example:2
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Think, Pair and Share
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Learning Activity
Problem Solving
• Find the gradient of the scalar field f (x, y) = y 2 − 4xy.
• Find the gradient
p of the scalar field
f (x, y , z) = x + y 2 + z 2 at the point (1, 1, 1).
2
Course name: Engineering Mathematics-II , Course Code: C1UC222B, February 28, 2025. 17 of 29 pages
Answer
Answer of the opening Question:
• The direction in which the temperature increases the
fastest is given by the gradient of the temperature function.
• Mathematically, if the temperature at any point (x, y) is
given by a function T (x, y ), then the gradient of T , denoted
as
∇T , is: ∇T = ∂T ∂T
∂x i + ∂y j
• This gradient vector points in the direction of the steepest
increase in temperature, and its magnitude represents the
rate of increase.
• Therefore, to move in the direction where the temperature
rises the fastest, one should follow the gradient vector at
that point.
Course name: Engineering Mathematics-II , Course Code: C1UC222B, February 28, 2025. 18 of 29 pages
Normal Vector
Course name: Engineering Mathematics-II , Course Code: C1UC222B, February 28, 2025. 19 of 29 pages
Example
Finding the Unit Normal Vector to a Surface Given as:
F (x, y, z) = x 2 + y 2 + z 2 − 9 = 0
Step 1: Compute the Gradient:
The normal vector to the surface is given by the gradient of
F (x, y , z) at the point (3, 0, 0):
∂F ∂F ∂F
∇F = i+ j+ k
∂x ∂y ∂z
Computing the partial derivatives:
∂F ∂F ∂F
= 2x, = 2y , = 2z
∂x ∂y ∂z
Thus, the normal vector is:
N = 2xi + 2yj + 2zk
Course name: Engineering Mathematics-II , Course Code: C1UC222B, February 28, 2025. 20 of 29 pages
Step 2: Normalize the Normal Vector:
The unit normal vector is obtained by dividing by its magnitude:
q q
|N| = (2x)2 + (2y)2 + (2z)2 = 4(x 2 + y 2 + z 2 )
Since the surface is a sphere of radius 3, we substitute
x 2 + y 2 + z2 = 9 :
p √
|N| = 4(9) = 36 = 6
Thus, the unit normal vector is:
2xi + 2yj + 2zk x y z
N̂ = = i+ j+ k
6 3 3 3
Step 3: Evaluate at a Specific Point at (3, 0, 0):
3 0 0
N̂ = i + j + k = 1i + 0j + 0k .
3 3 3
This unit normal vector 1i + 0j + 0k is perpendicular to the
surface at the point (3, 0, 0).
Course name: Engineering Mathematics-II , Course Code: C1UC222B, February 28, 2025. 21 of 29 pages
Problem Solving
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Application of Gradient
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Continued.....
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More Applications
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Assessment
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Home Work
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Ensure Attainment of LOs in Alignment to
the Learning Activities:
Learning Outcomes:
• Compute the gradient of a function in Cartesian
coordinates.
• Determine the unit normal vector using gradient.
Course name: Engineering Mathematics-II , Course Code: C1UC222B, February 28, 2025. 28 of 29 pages
Topic of next class:
Course name: Engineering Mathematics-II , Course Code: C1UC222B, February 28, 2025. 29 of 29 pages