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A line integral of a scalar field is thus a line integral of a vector field, where the vectors are always tangential to the line of the integration. Line integrals of vector fields are independent of the parametrization r in absolute value, but they do depend on its orientation. Specifically, a reversal in the orientation of the parametrization ...
A simple example of such a problem is to find the curve of shortest length connecting two points. If there are no constraints, the solution is a straight line between the points. However, if the curve is constrained to lie on a surface in space, then the solution is less obvious, and possibly many solutions may exist.
When rectified, the curve gives a straight line segment with the same length as the curve's arc length. Arc length s of a logarithmic spiral as a function of its parameter θ. Arc length is the distance between two points along a section of a curve.
A definite integral computes the signed area of the region in the plane that is bounded by the graph of a given function between two points in the real line. Conventionally, areas above the horizontal axis of the plane are positive while areas below are negative.
Even if the gradient theorem (also called fundamental theorem of calculus for line integrals) has been proved for a differentiable (so looked as smooth) curve so far, the theorem is also proved for a piecewise-smooth curve since this curve is made by joining multiple differentiable curves so the proof for this curve is made by the proof per ...
Taking L to be the x-axis, the line integral between consecutive vertices (x i,y i) and (x i+1,y i+1) is given by the base times the mean height, namely (x i+1 − x i)(y i + y i+1)/2. The sign of the area is an overall indicator of the direction of traversal, with negative area indicating counterclockwise traversal.
In a two- and three-dimensional space, there is an ambiguity in taking an integral between two points as there are infinitely many paths between the two points—apart from the straight line formed between the two points, one could choose a curved path of greater length as shown in the figure.
Here, θ is the angle between the vectors V and dl. The circulation Γ of a vector field V around a closed curve C is the line integral: [3] [4] =. In a conservative vector field this integral evaluates to zero for every closed curve. That means that a line integral between any two points in the field is independent of the path taken.