Why Is the Curl of a Conservative Force Field Zero?

In summary, the curl of a conservative force field is zero everywhere because a field being conservative is equivalent to having zero curl, which can be derived in any basic text on vector analysis. Additionally, a conservative force field can be written as the gradient of a scalar field. The physical significance of this is that a force field with non-zero curl cannot be conservative, as it would result in different energy levels when traveling in different directions. This can be better understood by visualizing the vector field as describing the current of a body of water, where non-zero curl would indicate the presence of a whirlpool. To fully comprehend the concept, it is important to refer to mathematical proofs and understand the relationship between curl and gradient.
  • #1
Mr Genius
17
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Why the curl of a conservative force field is zero everywhere?
 
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  • #2
Because a field being conservative is equivalent to having zero curl. This should be derived in any basic text on vector analysis.
 
  • #3
Can your conservative force be written as a gradient of a scalar field?
 
  • #4
robphy said:
Can your conservative force be written as a gradient of a scalar field?
Yes
 
  • #5
Orodruin said:
Because a field being conservative is equivalent to having zero curl. This should be derived in any basic text on vector analysis.
ummm this didn't help
 
  • #6
Mr Genius said:
Yes
Now take the curl of that gradient.
 
  • #7
robphy said:
Now take the curl of that gradient.
Ummm I'm looking for the physical meaning and significant of this
 
  • #8
Mr Genius said:
ummm this didn't help
I am saying you should find this explained in detail in any basic textbook. This makes me wonder what effort you spent on trying to find the answer before posting.
 
  • #9
Orodruin said:
I am saying you should find this explained in detail in any basic textbook. This makes me wonder what effort you spent on trying to find the answer before posting.
This is mentioned without any illustration in my physics book, and there is nothing called conservative force in mathematics to explain it in a math book
 
  • #10
Mr Genius said:
there is nothing called conservative force in mathematics to explain it in a math book
Perhaps not conservative force, but certainly conservative vector field. A conservative force field is just a conservative vector field describing a force.
 
  • #11
Orodruin said:
Perhaps not conservative force, but certainly conservative vector field. A conservative force field is just a conservative vector field describing a force.
Well, if u can find that then please send me a link
 
  • #12
Mr Genius said:
Ummm I'm looking for the physical meaning and significant of this
Loosely speaking, non-zero curl means that the vector field "goes in circles" somewhere, that you can follow the vector at one point to another and eventually get back where you started without ever going against the direction of the vector field at some point. For example, if the vector field were describing the current at the surface of a body of water, non-zero curl would mean that there was a whirlpool somewhere, so you could go around and around in circles without ever having to go against the current.

But a force field with that property cannot be conservative because you can return to your starting point with more or less energy than you started with, depending on whether you went with the current or against it.

That's the "loosely speaking" hand-waving picture that may help you visualize the physical significance of the math. However, the truth is in the math, so your next step is to go back to one of the many mathematical proofs that the curl of a gradient is zero, work through that proof now that you have a picture in your mind.
 
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What is curl of conservative force?

Curl of conservative force is a mathematical concept used to describe the rotation or circulation of a vector field. It is a measure of how much a vector field "curls" or rotates around a given point.

How is curl of conservative force calculated?

The curl of a vector field is calculated using partial derivatives. In three-dimensional space, it can be represented by a vector with three components, each of which is calculated using a partial derivative with respect to one of the three dimensions.

What does a non-zero curl of conservative force indicate?

A non-zero curl of conservative force indicates that the vector field is not irrotational, meaning that it has rotation or circulation around at least one point. This implies that the vector field is not conservative, as it cannot be described by a scalar potential function.

What is the physical significance of curl of conservative force?

In physics, the curl of a conservative force is related to the rotational motion of a physical system. It is used to calculate the angular momentum and torque of a system, and is a key concept in the study of fluid dynamics and electromagnetism.

How is the concept of curl of conservative force used in real-world applications?

The concept of curl of conservative force is used in a variety of real-world applications, such as analyzing fluid flow in engineering and understanding the movement of air in weather patterns. It is also used in the calculation of magnetic fields and in the study of rotational motion in physics and astronomy.

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