MIT Department of Mechanical Engineering

2.25 Advanced Fluid Mechanics

Kundu & Cohen 2.6, 2.7, and 2.20

These problems are from chapter 2 in Fluid Mechanics by P. K. Kundu, I. M. Cohen, and D.R. Dowling

(2.6) Show that the condition for the vectors a, b, and c to be coplanar is:

ijk ai bj ck

(2.7) Prove the following relationships:

ij ij = 3 pqi pqj = 2ij

(2.20) Use Stokes theorem to prove that \ (\) = 0 for any single-valued twice-dierentiable scalar
() regardless of the coordinate system.

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Vector Calculus Kundu & Cohen 2.6, 2.7, and 2.20

Solution:
2.6
Condition for three vectors a, b, and c to be coplanar is

a (b c) = 0 (1)

Also we know that

b c = (ijk bj ck ei ) (2)
From (1) and (2):
ai ei (ijk bj ck ei ) = 0 (3)
which leads to:
ijk ai bj ck (4)

2.7
From the denition for Kronecker delta:

ij = 0 if i = j and ij = 1 if i = j (5)

Thus
ij ij = ii ii = 1 + 1 + 1 = 3 (6)
For proving the other statement (pqi pqj = 2ij ) we should refer to the denition of the alternating tensors:
if there is any repeating index, i.e. i = j, or j = k, or i = k then ijk = 0. This means that in pqi pqj the
only non-zero terms are the ones in which p,q,i, and j have four dierent index values. Since we only have
three values for any possible index (1,2, and 3) the mentioned condition for having non-zero terms is only
true when i = j (one can easily pick two dierent values of i and j (e.g. i = 1 and i = 3)and see that all the
terms turn to be zero in pqi pqj . Thus we will have the following:

pqi pqj = 0 if i = j (7)

if i = j : pqi pqj = 0 + pqi pqi = 0 + 2pqi (8)

Knowing that for any value of i there are only two remaining non-zero terms in the right hand side of (8)
which are either 1 or 1, we will have:
2 2
if i = j : pqi pqj = 0 + (1) + (1) = 2 (9)

From (7) and (9):

pqi pqj = 2ij (10)

2.25 Advanced Fluid Mechanics 2 Copyright

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Vector Calculus Kundu & Cohen 2.6, 2.7, and 2.20

2.20
From Stokes theorem:
(\ u) dA = u.ds (11)
A C

Replacing u by \ will lead to:

(\ (\)) dA = \.ds (12)
A C

Now considering the right hand side of (12), for the line integral of a gradient vector we have the following:
b
\ ds = (b) (a) (13)
a

Using (13) for the closed integral over the curve C, we will have:

\.ds = (a) (a) (14)

C

In which a can be any arbitrary point on the curve C.

Using (14) and also having (12) for any arbitrary area, A, one can conclude that \ (\) = 0

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Vector Calculus Kundu & Cohen 2.6, 2.7, and 2.20

Problem Solution by Bavand, Fall 2012

2.25 Advanced Fluid Mechanics 4 Copyright

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 MIT Department of Mechanical Engineering
2.25 Advanced Fluid Mechanics

Panton 3.12
This problem is from Incompressible Flow by Ronald L. Panton

Write the following formulas in Gibbss notation using the symbol \. Convert the expressions to Cartesian
notation and prove that the equations are correct.

div(v) = div v + v . grad

div(u v) = v curl u u curl v

curl(u v) = v grad u u grad v + u div v v div u

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Vector Calculus Panton 3.12

Solution:

a.
div(v) = divv + v grad (1)
Using Gibbs Notation we can rewrite equation 1 as:

\ ( v) = \ v + v \ (2)

In order to write the equation in index notation, starting from left hand side we have:
vj vj
\ (v) = ( ei ) ( vj ej ) = (ei ej ) = ij (3)
xi xi xi
We know that ij is only non zero when i = j, therefore:

vj vi
ij = (4)
xi xi
where i is the summation variable. Then for the rst term on the right hand side, following the same method
as above:
vj vj vi
\v = ( e ) vj e j = (e e ) = ij = (5)
xi i xi i j xi xi
And for the second term:

v \ = vi ei e = vi e e = vi ij = vi (6)
xj j xj i j xj xi

And thus equation 1 in index notation has a form of:

vi vi
= + vi (7)
xi xi xi
Now in order to prove equation 1, we start from the left hand side of equation 7 and use the chain rule to
open the derivative:
vi vi
= + vi (8)
xi xi xi
Multiplying the last term by ii = 1:
vi vi vi
+ vi ii = + vi (e e ) = + vi ei e (9)
xi xi xi xi i i xi xi i
By multiplying the last term with ii = 1 we are able to get to the dot product of two vector quantities.
Also we know that in index notation:
vi
=\v (10)
xi

e = \ (11)
xi i
Therefore substituting back from equations 10 and 11 into 9 we get:
vi vi
\ (v) = = + vi ei e = \ v + v \ (12)
xi xi xi i
and equation 1 is proved.

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Vector Calculus Panton 3.12

b.
div(u v) = v curlu u curlv (13)
Equation 13 can be written in Gibbs notation as:

\ (u v) = v \ u u \ v (14)

In index notation, the left hand side can be written as:

uj vk uj vk
\ (u v) = ( e ) uj vk jkl el = ( ) jkl ei el = jkl il (15)
xi i xi xi
il is only non zero when i = l. Thus:
uj vk uj vk
jkl il = jki (16)
xi xi
Therefore:
uj vk
\ (u v) = jki (17)
xi
As for the right hand side:

v\u=

v i ei e uk ek =
xj j
uk
vi e (ej ek ) =
xj i
uk
vi e jkl el =
xj i
uk
vi jkl il =
xj
uk
vi jki (18)
xj

u\v =

ui ei e vk ek =
xj j
vk
ui ei (e ek ) =
xj j
vk
ui jkl ei el =
xj
vk
ui jkl il =
xj
vk
ui jki (19)
xj
Therefore, equation 13 in index notation is written as:
uj vk uk vk
jki = vi jki ui jki (20)
xi xj xj
In order to prove equation 13, we start from the left hand side and use the chain rule to open the derivatives:
uj vk uj vk
\ (u v) = jki = jki vk + jki uj (21)
xi xi xi

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Vector Calculus Panton 3.12

Then multiplying the rst term by kk and the second term by jj ( kk = jj = 1 does not add anything to
the equation, however it helps in creating the dot product needed to prove the equations) :

uj vk uj vk
jki vk + jki uj = jki vk kk + jki uj jj (22)
xi xi xi xi
We know that jki = ikj . Thus:

uj vk
jki vk kk + jki uj jj =
xi xi
uj vk
ijk vk kk ikj uj jj =
xi xi
uj vk
jki vk ek ek ikj uj ej ej =
xi xi
uj vk
jki ek vk ek ikj ej uj ej (23)
xi xi
From the denition of curl in index notation we know:
uj
\u= ijk ek (24)
xi
and
vk
\v = ikj ej (25)
xi
Therefore,
uj vk
jki ek vk ek ikj ej uj ej = (26)
xi xi
(\ u) v (\ v) u (27)

Since dot product is commutative, we can rewrite equation 27 as:

(\ u) v (\ v) u = v (\ u) u (\ v) (28)

And thus equation 13 is proved.

c.
curl(u v) = v grad u u grad v + u div v v div u (29)
Equation 29 in Gibbs notation is presented as:

\ (u v) = v \ u u \ v + u \ v v \ u (30)

For the index notation, starting from the left hand side of equation 29:

\ (u v) = e (uj ej vk ek ) =
xi i
uj vk
ei (ej ek ) =
xi
uj vk
ei (jkl el ) =
xi
uj vk
jkl ei el =
xi
uj vk
jkl ilm em (31)
xi

2.25 Advanced Fluid Mechanics Copyright

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Vector Calculus Panton 3.12

For the rst term on the right hand side we have:

v\ u=
uj
vi ei ( e e )=
xk j k
uj
vi e (ej ek ) (32)
xk i
Using the identity c (a b) = (a b)c:

uj
vi e (ej ek ) =
xk i
uj
vi (e e ) e =
xk i j k
uj
vi ij ek =
xk
ui
vi e (33)
xk k
Same with the rest of the terms:

v\ u=
vj
ui ei ( e e )=
xk j k
vj
ui e (ej ek ) =
xk i
vj
ui (e e ) e =
xk i j k
vi
ui e (34)
xk k

u \v =

u i ei ( e v k ek ) =
xj j
vk
ui e (e e ) =
xj i j k
vk
ui e jk =
xj i
vj
ui e (35)
xj i

v \u=

vi ei ( e v k ek ) =
xj j
uk
vi e (e e ) =
xj i j k
uk
vi e jk =
xj i
uj
vi e (36)
xj i

2.25 Advanced Fluid Mechanics Copyright

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Vector Calculus Panton 3.12

Thus equation 29 in index notation is given as :

uj vk ui vi vj uj
jkl ilm em = vi e ui e + ui e vi e (37)
xi xk k xk k xj i xj i
In order to prove this equation, starting from the left hand side (equation 31), we use the identity shown in
equation 3.3.5 in Panton to change the alternating tensor into the Kronecker delta. Also, using the fact that
ilm = lmi and jkl = ljk we have:

uj vk
jkl ilm em =
xi
uj vk
ljk lmi em =
xi
uj vk
(mj ik mk ij ) em =
xi
vk uj
(uj + vk )(mj ik mk ij ) em =
xi xi
vk vk uj uj
(uj mj ik uj mk ij + vk mj ik vk mk ij ) em (38)
xi xi xi xi
The rst term in equation 38 is only non zero when m = j and i = k.
vk
uj mj ik em =
xi
vi
uj e =
xi j
vi
ui ej =
xi
u \v (39)

The second term is only non zero when m = k and i = j:

vk
uj mk ij em =
xi
vk
ui e ii =
xi k
vk
ui e (e e ) =
xi k i i
vk
ui e (ek ei ) =
xi i
vk
ui ei e e =
xi k i
u \ v (40)

Here we used the identity c (a b) = (a b) c to change ek (ei ei ) into the dot product of a vector and a

2.25 Advanced Fluid Mechanics Copyright

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Vector Calculus Panton 3.12

tensor. The third term is only non zero when m = j and i = k:

uj
vk mj ik em =
xi
uj
vi e ii =
xi j
uj
vi e (e e ) =
xi j i i
uj
vi e (ej ei ) =
xi i
uj
vi ei e e =
xi j i
v\ u (41)

And the fourth term is only non zero when m = k and i = j:

uj
vk mk ij em =
xi
ui
vk e =
xi k
ui
vk ek =
xi
v \ u (42)

Putting equations 39, 40, 41 and 42 back into equation 38 and equating it with equation 31, we get:

\ (u v) = v \ u u \ v + u \ v v \ u (43)

Therefore, equation 29 is proved.

Problem Solution by Shabnam Raayai, Fall 2013

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