Electromagnetism and Relativity 2014/15

Electromagnetism and Relativity 2014/15
Tutorial Sheet 1: Index notation and vector calculus
1. Revision (if you need it): by writing out the components explicitly, show that
a × (b × c) = (a · c)b − (a · b)c ,
where a, b and c are any three vectors.
2. To what quantities do the following expressions in index notation (with summation
convention) correspond?
δii ,
δij ai aj ,
δij δij ,
iji ,
ijk δij ,
bi ijk ak cj ,
ijk a3i a1k a2j .
3. Verify the identity
ijk klm = δil δjm − δim δjl ,
for the cases
(i) i = 1, j = 2, l = 1, m = 2
(ii) i = 1, j = 2, l = 2, m = 1
(iii) i = 1, j = 2
4.
(i) Write in index notation the vector equation
a × b + c = (a · b)b − d .
(ii) If ui (i = 1, 2, 3) are three independent variables show that
∂ui
= δij .
∂uj
(iii) Show both by using the identity ijk klm = δil δjm − δim δjl and also by writing the
indices explicitly that
ijk ijl = 2δkl ,
ijk ijk = 6 .
5. Evaluate ijk δjk .
Solve the following equation for vk , f , pij in terms of kij :
ijk vk + δij f + pij = kij ,
where pij = pji and pii = 0.
(PTO)
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6. Using index notation, evaluate
n
(i) ∇ c · r
(ii) ∇rn
(iii) ∇ · rn r
(iv) ∇ × rn r
(v) ∇ · c × r
(vi) ∇ × c × r
(vii) c · ∇ r
where c is a constant vector.
7. If a and b are vector fields, establish the following identities using index notation
(i) ∇ · (∇ × a) = 0
(ii) ∇ · (a × b) = b · (∇ × a) − a · (∇ × b)
(iii) ∇ × a × b = a ∇ · b − b ∇ · a + b · ∇ a − a · ∇ b
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