Calculus 10th Edition

Published by Brooks Cole
ISBN 10: 1-28505-709-0
ISBN 13: 978-1-28505-709-5

Chapter 15 - Vector Analysis - 15.1 Exercises - Page 1049: 51

Answer

The vector field is not conservative

Work Step by Step

$F(x, y, z) = \sin y\mathbf{i} - x\cos y\mathbf{j} + \mathbf{k}$ $\text{curl } \mathbf{F} = \nabla \times \mathbf{F} = \begin{vmatrix} \mathbf{i} & \mathbf{j} & \mathbf{k} \\ \frac{\partial}{\partial x} & \frac{\partial}{\partial y} & \frac{\partial}{\partial z} \\ P & Q & R \end{vmatrix}$ where $P = \sin y$, $Q = -x\cos y$, and $R = 1$. $\text{curl } \mathbf{F} = \begin{vmatrix} \mathbf{i} & \mathbf{j} & \mathbf{k} \\ \frac{\partial}{\partial x} & \frac{\partial}{\partial y} & \frac{\partial}{\partial z} \\ \sin y & -x\cos y & 1 \end{vmatrix}$ $\text{curl } \mathbf{F} = \left( \frac{\partial}{\partial y}(1) - \frac{\partial}{\partial z}(-x\cos y) \right)\mathbf{i} - \left( \frac{\partial}{\partial x}(1) - \frac{\partial}{\partial z}(\sin y) \right)\mathbf{j} + \left( \frac{\partial}{\partial x}(-x\cos y) - \frac{\partial}{\partial y}(\sin y) \right)\mathbf{k}$ $= \left( 0 - 0 \right)\mathbf{i} - \left( 0 - 0 \right)\mathbf{j} + \left( -\cos y - \cos y \right)\mathbf{k}$ $= 0\mathbf{i} - 0\mathbf{j} + (-2\cos y)\mathbf{k}$ $= -2\cos y\mathbf{k}$ Since $\text{curl } \mathbf{F} = -2\cos y\mathbf{k} \neq \mathbf{0}$, the vector field is not conservative.
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