Calculus: Early Transcendentals 8th Edition

Published by Cengage Learning
ISBN 10: 1285741552
ISBN 13: 978-1-28574-155-0

Chapter 16 - Section 16.3 - The Fundamental Theorem for Line Integrals - 16.3 Exercise - Page 1095: 22

Answer

The vector field $\overrightarrow{F}$ is not conservative.

Work Step by Step

The vector field $F(x,y)=Pi+Qj$ is a conservative field throughout the domain $D$, when $\dfrac{\partial P}{\partial y}=\dfrac{\partial Q}{\partial x}$ Here, $P$ and $Q$ are the first-order partial derivatives on the domain $D$. The work integral field $\int_C \overrightarrow{F} \cdot \overrightarrow{dr}$ will be independent of the path if and only if $\int_C \overrightarrow{F} \cdot \overrightarrow{dr}=0$ for every closed curve $C$. Since, the work done represents the line integral of force, then the work done $\overrightarrow{F}$ along two different paths $C_1$ and $C_2$ connecting the same two points will be different. Thus, the line integral of $\overrightarrow{F}$ is not path independent. Hence, the vector field $\overrightarrow{F}$ is not conservative.
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