Summary of Green’s Theorem

Essential Concepts

  • Green’s theorem relates the integral over a connected region to an integral over the boundary of the region. Green’s theorem is a version of the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus in one higher dimension.
  • Green’s Theorem comes in two forms: a circulation form and a flux form. In the circulation form, the integrand is [latex]{\bf{F}}\cdot{\bf{T}}[/latex]. In the flux form, the integrand is [latex]{\bf{F}}\cdot{\bf{N}}[/latex].
  • Green’s theorem can be used to transform a difficult line integral into an easier double integral, or to transform a difficult double integral into an easier line integral.
  • A vector field is source free if it has a stream function. The flux of a source-free vector field across a closed curve is zero, just as the circulation of a conservative vector field across a closed curve is zero.

Key Equations

  • Green’s theorem, circulation form
    [latex]\displaystyle\oint_{C} Pdx+Qdy=\displaystyle\iint_{D} Q_{x}-P_{y}dA[/latex], where [latex]C[/latex] is the boundary of [latex]D[/latex]
  • Green’s theorem, flux form
    [latex]\displaystyle\oint_{C} {\bf{F}}\cdot {d{\bf{r}}} = \displaystyle\iint_{D} Q_{x}-P_{y}dA[/latex], where [latex]C[/latex] is the boundary of [latex]D[/latex]
  • Green’s theorem, extended version
    [latex]\displaystyle\oint_{\partial{D}} {\bf{F}}\cdot {d{\bf{r}}} = \displaystyle\iint_{D} Q_{x}-P_{y}dA[/latex]

Glossary

Green’s theorem
relates the integral over a connected region to an integral over the boundary of the region
stream function
if [latex]{\bf{F}} = {\langle}P, Q{\rangle}[/latex] is a source-free vector field, then stream function g is a function such that [latex]P = g_{y}[/latex], and [latex]Q = -{g_{x}}[/latex]