Index Notation Proof: Proving $\nabla\cdot\left(\phi\textbf{u}\right)$

In summary, the first equation is saying that the product of two vectors is the sum of the vectors multiplied by the delta between the two elements of the second vector. The second equation is saying that if you multiply a vector by a delta and then subtract the original vector from that, you'll get the same delta multiplied by the original vector.
  • #1
SamJohannes
13
0
Hi Everyone!

I'm looking to prove $\nabla\cdot\left(\phi\textbf{u}\right)=\phi\nabla\cdot\textbf{u} + \textbf{u}\cdot\nabla\phi$ in index notation where u is a vector and phi is a scalar field.

I'm unsure how to represent phi in index notation. For instance, is the first line like
${\partial}_{i}\phi{u}_{i}$ with phi represented without an index?

I've sort of been put in the deep end within my course and any guidance would be greatly appreciated.
 
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  • #2
SamJohannes said:
Hi Everyone!

I'm looking to prove $\nabla\cdot\left(\phi\textbf{u}\right)=\phi\nabla\cdot\textbf{u} + \textbf{u}\cdot\nabla\phi$ in index notation where u is a vector and phi is a scalar field.

I'm unsure how to represent phi in index notation. For instance, is the first line like
${\partial}_{i}\phi{u}_{i}$ with phi represented without an index?
Yes. More exactly, you should write it as $\partial_{i}(\phi{u}_{i})$, and then use the product rule for differentiation to say that this is equal to $\phi(\partial_{i}{u}_{i}) + (\partial_{i}\phi){u}_{i}.$
 
  • #3
Ah, I see.

So I got:

$\nabla\cdot\left(\phi\textbf{u}\right)=\partial_{i}\left(\phi{u}_{i}\right)=\phi\left(\partial_{i}{u}_{i}\right)+{u}_{i}\left(\partial_{i}\phi\right)=\phi\left(\nabla\cdot\textbf{u}\right)+\textbf{u}\cdot\left(\nabla\phi\right)$
 
  • #4
So I've done a heap more. But now I've come up against some more tricky ones. They are
i)$\nabla(u\cdot v)=(u\cdot\nabla)v+(v\cdot\nabla)u+u\times(\nabla\times v)+v\times (\nabla \times u)$
and
ii)$u\times (\nabla\times u) = \frac{1}{2}\nabla (u\cdot u) - (u\cdot\nabla )u$

For number one I really have no idea.

For number two I have
$u\times (\nabla\times u) =\varepsilon_{ijk}\varepsilon_{kmn}{u}_{j}\partial_{m}{u}_{n}=\varepsilon_{kij}\varepsilon_{kmn}{u}_{j}\partial_{m}{u}_{n}=(\delta_{im}\delta_{jn}-\delta_{in}\delta_{jm}){u}_{j}\partial_{m}{u}_{n}$
$=\delta_{im}\delta_{jn}{u}_{j}\partial_{m}{u}_{n}-\delta_{in}\delta_{jm}{u}_{j}\partial_{m}{u}_{n}={u}_{n}\partial_{i}{u}_{n}-{u}_{m}\partial_{m}{u}_{i}$
which seems close but I'm not certain...
 

Related to Index Notation Proof: Proving $\nabla\cdot\left(\phi\textbf{u}\right)$

1. What is index notation and why is it used in the proof?

Index notation is a way of writing mathematical expressions using subscripts to represent the different components of a vector or tensor. It is commonly used in physics and engineering to simplify and generalize equations. In this proof, index notation is used to represent the components of the vector field $\phi\textbf{u}$, making the proof more concise and easier to understand.

2. What does the symbol $\nabla\cdot$ represent in the proof?

The symbol $\nabla\cdot$ is a mathematical operator known as the "divergence" operator. It is used to calculate the divergence of a vector field, which represents the amount of "flux" or "flow" of a vector through a given point in space. In this proof, we are using the divergence operator to show the relationship between the vector field $\phi\textbf{u}$ and the scalar field $\phi$.

3. How does the proof show that $\nabla\cdot\left(\phi\textbf{u}\right) = \phi \nabla\cdot\textbf{u} + \textbf{u}\cdot\nabla\phi$?

The proof uses the properties of index notation and the product rule of differentiation to expand the original expression $\nabla\cdot\left(\phi\textbf{u}\right)$ into the form $\phi \nabla\cdot\textbf{u} + \textbf{u}\cdot\nabla\phi$. This shows that the two expressions are equivalent.

4. Can the proof be applied to any vector field and scalar field?

Yes, the proof is a general representation of the relationship between a vector field and a scalar field, regardless of the specific vector and scalar functions involved. As long as the fields are differentiable and the properties of index notation and differentiation hold, this proof can be applied.

5. Are there any real-world applications of this proof?

Yes, this proof is commonly used in various fields of science and engineering, such as fluid dynamics, electromagnetism, and quantum mechanics. It helps to explain the relationship between scalar and vector fields and is used to derive important equations and laws in these fields.

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