Calculus (3rd Edition)

Published by W. H. Freeman
ISBN 10: 1464125260
ISBN 13: 978-1-46412-526-3

Chapter 17 - Line and Surface Integrals - 17.2 Line Integrals - Exercises - Page 934: 57

Answer

We verify that the work performed is equal to ${\bf{F}}\cdot\overrightarrow {PQ} $.

Work Step by Step

Let the coordinates of $P$ and $Q$ be $P = \left( {{x_1},{y_1},{z_1}} \right)$ and $Q = \left( {{x_2},{y_2},{z_2}} \right)$, respectively. The work performed by the field ${\bf{F}}$ is $W = \mathop \smallint \limits_C^{} {\bf{F}}\cdot{\rm{d}}{\bf{r}}$ Since ${\bf{F}}$ is constant, we can write the work as $W = {\bf{F}}\cdot\left( {\mathop \smallint \limits_P^Q {\rm{d}}{\bf{r}}} \right) = {\bf{F}}\cdot\left( {{\bf{r}}|_P^Q} \right) = {\bf{F}}\cdot\left( {{{\bf{r}}_Q} - {{\bf{r}}_P}} \right)$, where ${{\bf{r}}_Q}$ and ${{\bf{r}}_P}$ are the position vectors of $Q$ and $P$, respectively. Since ${{\bf{r}}_Q} - {{\bf{r}}_P} = \overrightarrow {PQ} $, therefore, $W = {\bf{F}}\cdot\overrightarrow {PQ} $. Thus, the work performed by a constant force field ${\bf{F}}$ over any path $C$ from $P$ to $Q$ is equal to ${\bf{F}}\cdot\overrightarrow {PQ} $.
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