Question

For each vector field f⃗ (x,y,z), compute the curl of f⃗ and, if possible, find a function f(x,y,z) so that f⃗ =∇f. if no such function f exists, enter none. (a) suppose f⃗ (x,y,z)=(2yze2xyz+4z2cos(xz2)i⃗ +(2xze2xyz)j⃗ +(2xye2xyz+8xzcos(xz2))k⃗ . curl(f⃗ )

Answer 1

$\vec f(x,y,z)=(2yze^{2xyz}+4z^2\cos(xz^2))\,\vec\imath+2xze^{2xyz}\,\vec\jmath+(2xye^{2xyz}+8xz\cos(xz^2))\,\vec k$

Let

$\vec f=f_1\,\vec\imath+f_2\,\vec\jmath+f_3\,\vec k$

The curl is

$\nabla\cdot\vec f=(\partial_x\,\vec\imath+\partial_y\,\vec\jmath+\partial_z\,\vec k)\times(f_1\,\vec\imath+f_2\,\vec\jmath+f_3\,\vec k)$

where $\partial_\xi$ denotes the partial derivative operator with respect to $\xi$. Recall that

$\vec\imath\times\vec\jmath=\vec k$

$\vec\jmath\times\vec k=\vec i$

$\vec k\times\vec\imath=\vec\jmath$

and that for any two vectors $\vec a$ and $\vec b$, $\vec a\times\vec b=-\vec b\times\vec a$, and $\vec a\times\vec a=\vec0$.

The cross product reduces to

$\nabla\times\vec f=(\partial_yf_3-\partial_zf_2)\,\vec\imath+(\partial_xf_3-\partial_zf_1)\,\vec\jmath+(\partial_xf_2-\partial_yf_1)\,\vec k$

When you compute the partial derivatives, you'll find that all the components reduce to 0 and

$\nabla\times\vec f=\vec0$

which means $\vec f$ is indeed conservative and we can find $f$.

Integrate both sides of

$\dfrac{\partial f}{\partial y}=2xze^{2xyz}$

with respect to $y$ and

$\implies f(x,y,z)=e^{2xyz}+g(x,z)$

Differentiate both sides with respect to $x$ and

$\dfrac{\partial f}{\partial x}=\dfrac{\partial(e^{2xyz})}{\partial x}+\dfrac{\partial g}{\partial x}$

$2yze^{2xyz}+4z^2\cos(xz^2)=2yze^{2xyz}+\dfrac{\partial g}{\partial x}$

$4z^2\cos(xz^2)=\dfrac{\partial g}{\partial x}$

$\implies g(x,z)=4\sin(xz^2)+h(z)$

Now

$f(x,y,z)=e^{2xyz}+4\sin(xz^2)+h(z)$

and differentiating with respect to $z$ gives

$\dfrac{\partial f}{\partial z}=\dfrac{\partial(e^{2xyz}+4\sin(xz^2))}{\partial z}+\dfrac{\mathrm dh}{\mathrm dz}$

$2xye^{2xyz}+8xz\cos(xz^2)=2xye^{2xyz}+8xz\cos(xz^2)+\dfrac{\mathrm dh}{\mathrm dz}$

$\dfrac{\mathrm dh}{\mathrm dz}=0$

$\implies h(z)=C$

for some constant $C$. So

$f(x,y,z)=e^{2xyz}+4\sin(xz^2)+C$