Simple divergence/Green's theorem question

In summary, the conversation discusses the application of the divergence theorem and Green's theorem in evaluating the integral over a surface of a given vector field. The problem involves finding the divergence of the vector field from a hemisphere and the integral over its surface. The attempt at a solution involves using Green's theorem with a volume element instead of directly evaluating the surface integral. The final answer is 36π, while the correct answer is given as 27π, leading to a realization of a missing fundamental step in the solution process.
  • #1
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I'm exploring the divergence theorem and Green's theorem, but I seem to be lacking some understanding. I have tried this problem several times, and I am wondering where my mistake is in this method.

The problem:
For one example, I am trying to find the divergence of some vector field from a hemisphere. Let the hemisphere be given by $$x^2 + y^2 + z^2 = 9.$$ Also, the vector field in question is given by $$ \textbf{V} = \bigg(y,\hspace{2mm} xz,\hspace{2mm} 2z-1\bigg) $$
Now, I want to evaluate the integral over the surface:
$$\iint\textbf{V}\cdot\textbf{n}\hspace{2mm}d\sigma$$

Attempt at a solution:
Here is how I try to solve it. I instead use (by Green's theorem, where tau is a volume element) $$\iiint\nabla\cdot\textbf{V}\hspace{2mm}d\tau.$$
Taking the gradient of the the vector field, I get 2 (only the z-hat component of the field will contribute). And since it is a simple hemisphere, I can integrate over the volume in spherical coordinates with the following limits:

$$r \hspace{1mm}\epsilon\hspace{1mm}[0,3]$$
$$\phi \hspace{1mm}\epsilon\hspace{1mm}[0,2\pi]$$
$$\theta \hspace{1mm}\epsilon\hspace{1mm}[0,\pi/2]$$
The Jacobian is standard for going from Cartesian to spherical coordinates: $$r^2 \hspace{1mm}sin(\theta)$$
Lastly, evaluating this integral (and not forgetting to include the gradient of the vector field in the integral), I get $$36\pi$$
The answer given in the text is $$27\pi$$ This is not a hard problem, and I am most certain that my integration and arithmetic is correct. There must be some fundamental step that I am missing.
 
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  • #2
I think I have figured it out. If you consider the outward flux from the bottom of the hemisphere (ie. a disk), then that is equal to 9 Pi. The total flux through the curved surface is then (36 - 9) Pi, or 27 Pi
 

1. What is simple divergence?

Simple divergence, also known as scalar divergence, is a mathematical operation that calculates the rate at which a scalar field is expanding or contracting at a given point. It is represented by the symbol &nabla · F, where &nabla is the del operator and F is the scalar field.

2. What does Green's theorem state?

Green's theorem, also known as the divergence theorem, states that the surface integral of a vector field over a closed surface is equal to the volume integral of the divergence of that vector field over the region enclosed by the surface.

3. How is Green's theorem related to simple divergence?

Green's theorem is a special case of the more general divergence theorem, and it can be used to evaluate the surface integral in simple divergence problems. This is because the surface integral in Green's theorem is equal to the divergence of the vector field multiplied by the surface area.

4. What are some applications of simple divergence and Green's theorem?

Simple divergence and Green's theorem have various applications in physics and engineering, such as calculating fluid flow and electric field strength. They can also be used to solve differential equations and evaluate line integrals.

5. Is it possible to use Green's theorem in three dimensions?

Yes, Green's theorem can be extended to three dimensions as the divergence theorem, which states that the volume integral of a vector field over a region is equal to the surface integral of the vector field's flux through the closed surface surrounding the region.

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