Student handout: Visualization of Divergence
None 2024
- Divergence of a vector field (at a point) is the flux per unit volume through an infinitesimal box.
- How to predict the sign and relative magnitude of the divergence from graphs of a vector field.
- (Optional) How to calculate the divergence of a vector field with computer algebra.
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group Small Group Activity
30 min.
- Dry-erasable plastic sleeves such as C-line CLI-40620.
- Copies of vector fields for the plastic sleeves.
- (Optional) Computers running Mathematica
- (Optional) The Mathematical notebook: How do we reference this??
- Physics Topics:
What students learn
- Divergence of a vector field (at a point) is the flux per unit volume through an infinitesimal box.
- How to predict the sign and relative magnitude of the divergence from graphs of a vector field.
- (Optional) How to calculate the divergence of a vector field with computer algebra.
For each of the vector fields below, decide whether the divergence is postive, negative, or zero in each quadrant. Be prepared to defend your answers.
- Editor
- corinne
- Author Information
- Corinne Manogue
- Keywords
- Prerequisite Knowledge
- A derivation of the definition of the divergence of a vector field at a point: The divergence of a vector field at a point is flux per unit volume through an infinitesimal box surrounding that point
- Learning Outcomes
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- Publication Status
- Published
- Publication Date
- Oct. 22, 2024, 11:18 a.m.