Line Integrals

Now we are going to introduce a Line integral. However,

before we do that it is important to note that you will need to
be able to write down a set of parametric equations for a
given curve.
Here are some of the more basic curves that we will need to
know how to do as well as limits on the parameter if they are
required.

Curves Parametric Equations

Counter  Clockwise Clockwise
2 2
x y x  a cos t x  a cos t
2
 2 1 y  b sin t y  b sin t
a b 0  t  2 0  t  2 2
 Curves Parametric Equations
Counter  Clockwise Clockwise
x  r cos t x  r cos t
x2  y2  r 2 y  r sin t y   r sin t
0  t  2 0  t  2

xt
y  f (x) y  f (t )

x  (1  t ) x0  tx1
line segment from y  (1  t ) y0  ty1 , 0  t  1.
( x0 , y0 , z0 ) to ( x1 , y1 , z1 ) z  (1  t ) z0  tz1
3
 Definition of Line Integral
If f is defined in a region containing a smooth curve C of
finite length, then the line integral of f along C is given by

f x(t ), y (t ), z (t )  x (t )  y (t )  z (t ) dt
b
 f ( x, y, z )ds     
2 2 2
C a

Example: Evaluate C ( x 2
 y  3 z ) ds where C is the line
segment from (0,0,0) to (1,2,1).

Solution: The parametric equations of the given curve are

x (t )  (1  t ) x0  tx1  x (t )  0  t  x (t )  t 
  
y (t )  (1  t ) y0  ty1   y (t )  0  2t   y (t )  2t , 0  t  1
z (t )  (1  t ) z0  tz1 
 z (t )  0  t 
 z (t )  t 

4
Hence
x(t )  1, y(t )  2, z (t )  1
 x(t )2  y(t )2  z(t )2  12  2 2  12  1  4  1  6
Thus, the line integral is
1
 ( x  y  3 z )ds   (t 2  2t  3t ) 6 dt
2
C 0
1
 6  (t 2  t ) dt
0
1
t3 t2 
 6  
 3 2 0
 1 1  
 6     0
 3 2  
5
 6
6
5
 Ans. 5
6
Suppose C is a path composed of smooth curves C1 , C2 ,  , Cn .
If f is continuous on C , then it can be shown that


C
f ( x, y )ds   f ( x, y )ds   f ( x, y )ds    
C1 C2 Cn
f ( x, y )ds.

Example: Evaluate the line integral 

x ds where C is a path
C
composed of the line segment given by C1 : y  x from (0,0)
to (1,1) and the curve C2 given by y  x 2 from (1,1) to (0,0) .

Solution: Here

C
x ds   x ds   x ds  (i )
C1 C2

6
For C1 : y  x ; ( x0 , y0 )  (0,0) and ( x1 , y1 )  (1,1)
Parametric equations x(t )  (1  t ) x0  tx1
 0t
t , 0  t  1.
 y (t )  t
Thus x(t )  1 and y(t )  1  x (t )  y (t )  1  1  2
 2
 2

t x (t )  y (t ) dt
1
  x ds    
2 2
C1 0
1
  t 2dt
0
1
 2  t dt
0
1
t  2
1  2 1
 2   2   0    0.71
 2 0 2  2 2 7
For C2: y  x2 ;
( x0 , y0 )  (1,1) and ( x1 , y1 )  (0,0)
Parametric equations x(t )  (1  t ) x0  tx1
 (1  t ) 1  0
 1 t , 0  t  1.
 y (t )  (1  t ) 2
d
Thus x(t )  1 and y(t )  2(1  t ) 21  (1  t )  2(1  t )(1)  2(1  t )
dt

So that x (t )  y (t )  1  [2(1  t )]2  1  4(1  t ) 2

 2
 2

(1  t ) x (t )  y (t ) dt
1
  x ds    
2 2
C2 0
1
  (1  t ) 1  4(1  t ) 2 dt
0

8
 1
Let y  1  4(1  t ) 2
  x ds   1  4(1  t ) (1  t )dt
2
C2 0 dy
  0  4{2(1  t )(1)}
1  dy  dt
 y    dy  8(1  t )dt
5
 8 
dy
1 1    (1  t )dt
   y dy 8
8 5
when t  0, y  1  4  5
1 5 12
  y dy when t  1, y  1  0  1
8 1
5 5
 1 
1  3 
1 y  1y  1 2 2   
3 3 3
2 2
1
        5  1  
2
5  1  0.85
2
8  1  1 8 3  8 3  12  
 2 1  2 1
Substitute these values in equation (i), we obtain
C
x ds  C1
x ds  
C2
x ds
 0.71  0.85  1.56. Ans. 9
Example: Evaluate C ( x  2) ds where C is the curve
represented by 3
 ˆ 4 2 ˆ
1 2 ˆ
r (t )  t i  t j  t k , 0  t  2.
3 2

Solution: Do. Ans.

10
 Line Integrals of Vector Fields
One of the most important physical application of line
integrals is that of finding the work done on an object moving
in a force field. Work Done= (Force)(Distance)
 
or W   F  dr
C

Definition of Line Integral of a Vector Field


Let F be a continuous vector field defined
 on a smooth curve

C given by r (t ).The line Integral of F on C is given by
  b  
 F  dr   F x(t ), y (t ), z (t )  r  dt
C a

   r(t )     
NOTE : F  Tds  F   r (t ) dt  F  r (t ) dt  F  dr
r (t ) 11
Different ways to write the work integral for over
Example: Find the work done by the force field
 1 ˆ 1 ˆ 1 ˆ
F ( x, y , z )   x i  y j  k on a particle as it moves
2 2  4
along the helix given by r (t )  cos t iˆ  sin t ˆj  t kˆ from the
point (1,0,0) to ( 1,0,3 ) .

Solution:

Because
r (t )  x (t ) iˆ  y (t ) ˆj  z (t ) kˆ  cos t iˆ  sin t ˆj  t kˆ  (i )
so that x (t )  cos t
y (t )  sin t
and z (t )  t
Thus, the given force field can be written as
 1 1 1 ˆ
F x (t ), y (t ), z (t )    cos t i  sin t j  k
ˆ ˆ
2 2 4
By taking first derivative of (i), we get

r (t )   sin t iˆ  cos t ˆj  kˆ 13
 We know, work done
 
W   F  dr
C
b  
  F x (t ), y (t ), z (t )  r (t ) dt
a


3  1
0  2
  cos t ˆ
i 
1
2
sin t ˆ
j 
1 ˆ
k
4 
  
 sin t i 
ˆ  cos t ˆj  kˆ dt

3  1 1 1 
 0  2 sin t cos t  2 sin t cos t  4  dt
3 1
 0 4 dt
1 3 1 3
 t 0  3  0  .
4 4 4

Ans.

14
 
Example: Let F ( x, y )  y iˆ  x 2 ˆj and evaluate the line integral

 F  dr
C

for each of the following parabolic curves.

Solution: Do Yourself. 69/2 and -69/2.

16
Example: Evaluate C  
3 3 2
y dx ( x 3 xy ) dy , where C is a

circle of radius 3 given by r (t )  3 cos t iˆ  3 sin t ˆj , 0  t  2 .

Solution:

Since r (t )  x(t ) iˆ  y (t ) ˆj  3 cos t iˆ  3 sin t ˆj , we obtain

x(t )  3 cos t and y (t )  3 sin t

dx dy
  3 sin t   3 cos t
dt dt
 dx  3 sin tdt  dy  3 cos tdt

17
Thus, the line integral is

C
 y 3
dx  ( x 3
 3 xy 2
)dy 


0
(27 sin t )(3 sin t dt )  {27 cos t  3(3 cos t )(9 sin
2
3 3 2
t )}(3 cos t dt ) 
   81sin t  81cos t  81(3 cos t sin t ) dt
2
4 4 2 2
0

 81 cos t  sin t  3 cos t sin t dt

2
4 4 2 2
0

2 ( 2 cos t sin t ) 2


 81  (cos t  sin t )(cos t  sin t )  3
2 2 2 2
 dt
0
 4 
2  3 2 
 81  (cos t  sin t )  sin 2t  dt
2 2
0
 4 
2  3 1  cos 4t 
 81  cos 2t    dt
0
 4 2  18
 2  3 
 81  cos 2t  (1  cos 4t )  dt
0
 8 
2  3 3 
 81  cos 2t   cos 4t  dt
0
 8 8 
2
 sin 2t 3 3  sin 4t 
 81  t  
 2 8 8  4  0
 sin 4 3 3  
 81  2  sin 8   0  0  0 
 2 8 32  
 3 
 810   0
 4 
243

C
 3 3 2

y dx  ( x  3 xy )dy 
4 Ans.
19
A region R is called simply connected if (i) R is connected, and (ii) every simple
closed curve C lying entirely within R can be shrunk to a point without leaving R.
Besides, a simply connected region is open if it contains no boundary points.

Notice from Figure that, a simply-connected

region contains no hole and can’t
consist of two separate pieces.
We can view the component test as saying that on a simply connected region, the
vector

is zero if and only if F is conservative. This vector you have studied earlier is a curl F.
 Practice Problems

Exercise 16.1: 9-26

Exercise 16.2: 7-30

27