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VECTOR DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS (Set-I)

Tangents & Normals
1. At any point of the curve x  3 cos t , y  3 sin t , z  4t , find (i) tangent vector, (ii) unit
tangent vector, (iii) normal vector, (iv) unit normal vector.
2. Find the angle between the tangents to the curve r (t )  t 2 i  2t j  t 3 k at the points
t = 1 and t =2.
Velocity & Acceleration
1. If r (t ) is the position vector of a moving particle, find the velocity and acceleration
6t
vectors at t = 1. Also find the speed at that time where x  t 3  t , y  , z  (2t  1) 2 .
t 1
2. A particle moves along the curve r  (t 3  4t )i  (t 2  4t ) j  (8t 2  3t 3 )k , where t is the
time. Find the magnitude of the tangential component of its acceleration at t  2.
2. A particle moves along the curve x = e  t , y = 2 cos 3t and z=2 sin 3t. Find the velocity
and acceleration vectors and the magnitude of velocity and acceleration at t   / 2. Find
also the magnitude of velocity and acceleration at any time t.
3. If r (t )  et cos t i  et sin t j  2et k is the position vector of a moving particle, find
the components of velocity and acceleration at t = 0 in direction of tangent to the curve
ti  t 2 j  t 3k at t  1.
2. A particle moves along the curve x  2t 2 , y  t 2  4t , z  3t  5, where t is the time. Find the
components of its velocity and acceleration at t = 1, in the direction i  3 j  2k .
Gradient & Normal to Surface
1. Find the gradient of the following scalar functions:
(i) f ( x, y, z )  x 2 y 2  xy 2  z 2 at (3,1,1)
(ii) f ( x, y, z )  xy  2 yz  8 at (3,2,1)
1. Find the gradient of f ( x, y, z)  xy cos yz.
2. Find  , where (i)   x sin z  y cos z , (ii)   2 xz 2  x 3 y , at ( 2,2,1)
3. If r  xi  yj  zk , r  r , a is any constant vector, then show that
1 f (r )
(i) ( r ) r , (ii) a  r   a , (iii) f (r )  r.
r r
1 1 2
4. Find  , where (i)     r , (ii)   r 2 log r , (iii)   3r 2  4 r  .
 
r r 3 r
2 2 2
(iv)   ( x 2  y 2  z 2 )e x  y  z .
5. Find a unit normal vector to the surface x 3  y 3  3xyz  3 at the point (1,2,1).
5. Find a unit normal vector to the level surface x 2 y  2 xz  4 at the point (2,2,3).
5. Find the unit normal vector of the cone of revolution z 2  4( x 2  y 2 ) at the point (1,0,2).
6. Find the angle between the surfaces x 2  y 2  z 2  9 & x 2  y 2  z  3, at the point of
8
intersection P(2, -1, 2). { Ans : cos   }
3 21
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7. Find the constants a and b so that the surface ax2-2byz = (a+4)x will be orthogonal to the
surface 4x2y + z3 = 4 at (1,-1,2). { Ans : a  5, b  1}
Directional Derivative
1. Find the directional derivative of f ( x, y, z )  2 x 2  3 y 2  z 2 at the point (2,1,3) in the
direction of the vector a  i  3k.
1. Find the directional derivative of f  ( x 2  y 2  z 2 )3 2 at (-1,1,2) in the direction
i-2j+k.

2.Find the rate of change of   xyz in the direction normal to the surface
1
x 2 y  y 2 x  yz 2  3 at the point P(1, 1, 1). { Ans : (3 yz  4 zx  2 xy)}
29
3. Find the directional derivative of   4e 2 x  y  z at the point (1,1,1) in the direction
towards the point (-3, 5, 6).
3. Find the directional derivative of the function f  x 2  y 2  2z 2 at the point P(1,2,3)
in the direction of the line PQ, where Q is the point (5, 0, 4).
4. Find the directional derivative of   e 2 x cos yz at origin in the direction of tangent

to the curve x  a sin t , y  a cos t , z  at at t  .
4
y
5. For the function f ( x, y )  , find the value of the directional derivative at
x  y22

(0, 1) along a line making an angle 300 with the positive x-axis.
x2  y2
5. Find the direction in which the directional derivative of f ( x, y )  at the point
xy
(1,1) is zero.
6. The temperature of points in space is given by T ( x, y, z )  x 2  y 2  z. A mosquito
located at (1,1,2) desires to fly in such direction, that it will get warm as soon as possible.
In what direction should it fly?
7. If the directional derivative of   ax 2 y  by 2 z  cz 2 x at a point (1,1,1) has a
x 1 y  3 z
maximum magnitude 15 in the direction parallel to the line   , find the
2 2 1
20 55 50
values of a, b, c. { Ans : a  ,b   ,c  }
9 9 9
8. Find the directional derivative of f  x 2 yz  4xz 2 at the point
P(1,2,1) in the direction of normal vector to the surface x 2 y  2 xz  4 at the point
(2,2,3).
5. Find the directional derivative of f ( x, y )  x 2 y 3  xy at (2,1) in the direction of a unit
vector which makes an angle of 600 with the positive x-axis.
Curl & Divergence
1. Find the divergence of the function F ( x, y, z )  xy 2i  2 x 2 yzj  3 yz 2 k at (1,-1,1).
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1. If F ( x, y, z )  x 2 zi  2 y 3 z 2 j  xy 2 zk , find curlF at (1,-1,1).

1. Find the divergence and curl of F where F  xz 3i  2 x 2 yzj  2 yz 4 k at (-1,1,2).
2. Find the divergence and curl of F where F   for   yz  zx  xy.
1. Find the divergence and curl of F and verify that div(curl F )  0, where
(i) F  ( x 2  y 2 )i  4 xyj  ( x 2  xy )k
(ii) F  ( x 2  yz )i  ( y 2  zx ) j  ( z 2  xy )k
(iii) F  xyzi  2 x 2 yj  ( xz 2  y 2 z )k
Irrotational & Solenoidal Vector Fields
1. Show that the following vector fields are irrotational and find their scalar potential.
i) F  ( y 2 cos x  z 3 )i  (2 y sin x  4) j  (3xz 2  2)k
ii) F  ( x  xy )i  ( y  xy ) j
2 2 2 2

1
ii) F  ( yi  xj )
2 2
x y
    
iii) F  3x 2 y i  x 3  2 yz 2 j  3z 2  2 y 2 z k 
iv) F  ( y sin z  sin x)i  ( x sin z  2 yz) j  ( xy cos z  y 2 )k

v) F  ( ye xy cos z )i  ( xe xy cos z ) j  (e xy sin z )k

2. Show that the vector point function F  ( x 2  yz )i  ( y 2  xz ) j  ( z 2  xy )k is

irrotational and hence find its scalar potential function  such that F  .

3. Determine the constant ‘a’ so that the vector F  ( x  3 y)i  ( y  2 z) j  ( x  az)k

is solenoidal.

3. Find the value of n for which the vector r n r is solenoidal, where

r  xi  yj  zk and r  r .
 Page 4 of 7

VECTOR DIFFERENTIAL CALCULUS (Set-II)

Tangents & Normals
1. At any point of the curve x = 4 cost , y = 4 sin t and z= 6t , find (i) tangent vector, (ii) unit
tangent vector, (iii) normal vector, (iv) unit normal vector.
2. Find the unit tangent and unit normal vector at t =2 on the curve
x  t 2  1, y  4t  3, z  2t 2  6t , where t is any variable.
2. Find the angle between the tangents to the curve r (t )  t 2 i  2t j  t 3 k at the points
t = 1 and t =2.
Velocity & Acceleration
1. A particle moves along the curve x = 3t 2 , y = t 2 2t and z = t 3 . Find the velocity
and acceleration t = 1.
t2 t3
1. The coordinates of a moving particle are given by x = 4t  , y  3  6t  . Find the
2 6
velocity and acceleration of the particle when t = 2 sec.
2. A particle moves along the curve x  t 3  1, y  t 2 , z  2t  5, where t is the time, find the
components of velocity and acceleration at t = 1in the direction i  j  3k.
3. If r (t )  et cos t i  et sin t j  2et k is the position vector of a moving particle, find
the components of velocity and acceleration at t = 0 in direction of tangent to the curve
ti  t 2 j  t 3 at t  1.
Gradient & Normal to Surface
1. Find the gradient of   x3  y 3  z 3  3xyz.
1. If f ( x, y, z )  3x 2 y  y 3 z 2 , find grad f at the point (1,2,1).

2. Compute the gradient for the given function f ( x, y, z )  x 2 z 2 sin 4 y at (2, ,1) .
3
3. If r  xi  yj  zk , r  r , a is any constant vector, then show that
1 f (r )
(i) ( r )  r , (ii) a  r   a , (iii) f (r )  r.
r r
2
4. Find  , where (i)   r n , (ii)   r 2e  r , (iii)   3r 2  4 r  .
r
(iv)   log( x 2  y 2  z 2 ) ,
5. Find a unit normal vector to the surface f ( x, y, z )  x 2  4 xz  2 yz 2 at (1,2,1).
5. Find the unit normal to the surface z  x 2  y 2 at the point (1,2,5).
6. Find the angle between the surfaces x 2 y  z  3 & x log z  y 2  4, at the point of
5
intersection P(-1, 2, 1). { Ans : cos    }
17 18
7. Find the values of a and b so that the surfaces ax 2 y  bz 3  4 may cut the surface
5 x 2  2 yz  9 x orthogonally at (1, -1, 2).
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Directional Derivative
1. Find the directional derivative of f  x 2 yz  4xz 2 at the point P(1,2,1) in the direction
of the vector 2i  j  2k.
1. Find the directional derivative of f ( x, y, z )  x 2 y  2 y 2 z at the point (2,2,1) in the
direction of negative z-axis.
2. Find the directional derivative of f  xy 2  yz 3 at the point (2,-1,1) in the direction of
normal to the surface x log z  y 2  4 at (-1,2,1).
3. Find the directional derivative of   xy 2  yz 2 at the point P(2,-1,1) along the direction
PQ, where Q(3,1,3).

4. Find the directional derivative of   e 2 x  y  z at P (1, 1, 1) in the direction of tangent


to the curve x  et , y  sin 2t  1, z  1  cos t at t  .
2
x
5. For the function f ( x, y )  , find the magnitude of the directional derivative at
x2  y2
(0, 2) along a line making an angle 300 with the positive x-axis.
6. In what direction from (3,1,2) is the directional derivative of   x 2 y  y 2 z  z 2 x a
maximum? Find also the magnitude of this maximum directional derivative. Determine
the directional derivative of  at (3,1,2) in the direction of normal to the surface
xyz  6 at the point (1, 2, 3).
7. If the directional derivative of   axy 2  byz  cz 2 x3 at a point (1,2,1) has a
maximum magnitude 64 in the direction parallel to the z axis, find the values of a, b, c.
{ Ans : a  6, b  24, c  8}
Curl & Divergence
1. Find the divergence and curl of F where F  xyzi  3x 2 yj  ( xz 2  y 2 z )k at (-1,1,2).
2. Find the divergence and curl of F where F   for   xy 3 z 2 .
1. If V  ( x  y  1)i  j  ( x  y)k , prove that V  curl V  0.
3. If r  xi  yj  zk & r  r , u is any vector then show that
(i)   r  3 , (ii)   r  0, (iii) (u  )r  u , (iv) (u  )  u  
4. Evaluate (i)   (r 3r ) (ii)   (r 3r )
4. Prove that (i) div(r n r )  (n  3)r n
4. Prove that div( gradr n )  n(n  1)r n  2 .
4. Prove that curl ( gradr n )  0.
1
4. If u  r , find grad (div u ).
r
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6. If r & r have their usual meanings then evaluate or prove that

 1  2
(i)  2  0 (i)  2 r n  n(n  1)r n  2 (ii)  2 e r
r 
2

(ii)  2 ( r e r )  r  (3 2) (r 2  3r  3 / 4)e r (i) Compute  2 (r n log r )

 r  2
(iv)     
2
 r2  r4
d2 f 2 df  4
7. Prove that  f (r ) 
2
 and hence or otherwise prove that  4e r  1  e r .
dr 2 r dr  r
5. If a & b are constant vectors and r = x i + y j + z k & r  r then prove that
1 3(a  r )(b  r ) a  b
(i) a  (b   )   3
r r5 r
a r  2n n
(ii)    n   n a  n 2 a  r r
 r  r r
(iii)   [r  a   b ]  b  a
6. If a is constant vectors and r & r have their usual meanings then prove that
a r  a n a r a r
(i )  n   n  n 2 a  r r (ii ) ( )    ( )
 r  r r r3 r3
Irrotational & Solenoidal Vector Fields
1. Show that the following vector fields are irrotational and find their scalar potential.
i) F  ( y 2 cos x  z 3 )i  (2 y sin x  4) j  3xz 2 k
ii) F  ( x 2  xy 2 )i  ( y 2  x 2 y ) j
iii) F  3x 2 yi  ( x 3  2 yz 2 ) j  (3z 2  2 y 2 z )k

iv) F  ( y sin z  sin x)i  ( x sin z  2 yz) j  ( xy cos z  y 2 )k

v) F  ( ye xy cos z )i  ( xe xy cos z ) j  (e xy sin z )k

2. Show that the vector point function F  ( x 2  yz )i  ( y 2  xz ) j  ( z 2  xy )k is

irrotational and hence find its scalar potential function  such that F  .
3. Show that the vector
F  (sin y  z)i  ( x cos y  z) j  ( x  y)k
is irrotational and hence find its scalar potential function  such that F   . Also find its divergence.

3. Find the value of n for which the vector r n r is solenoidal, where

r  xi  yj  zk and r  r .
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8. Find the directional derivative of x 2 y 2 z 2 at the point (1, 1, -1) in the direction of tangent
to the curve x  et , y  sin 2t  1, z  1  cos t at t = 0.
9. Find the directional derivative of f ( x, y )  xy 2  yz 2 at the point (2, -1, 1) along the
5
normal to the surface xy  yz  zx  3 at the point (1, 1, 1). { Ans :  }
3
10. Find the directional derivative of   xy 2  yz 2 at the point P(2,-1,1) along
(i) the direction PQ, where Q(3,1,3).
(ii) x axis.
(iii) the direction which makes equal angles with the co-ordinate axes.

(iv) tangent to the curve x  at sin t , y  at cos t , z  at , at t  .
4
11 5 43 2
{ Ans : (i)  , (ii)1, (iii)  , (iv) }
3 3 3