Past exam of the mathematics course of the year 1 of the natural sciences course of the University of Cambridge / 2022 / Paper 2 / 13

With $\mathbf{r}(t)=(t,t^2{)}^T$, the tangent vector is $(1,2t{)}^T$ and $\mathbf{F}(\mathbf{r}(t))=(t^3,2t^2{)}^T$. The line integral is

For $\mathbf{r}(t)=(t^2,t{)}^T$, the tangent vector is $(2t,1{)}^T$ and $\mathbf{F}(\mathbf{r}(t))=(t^3,t^4+t{)}^T$. ThusThe unequal values for the same endpoints already rule out a conservative vector field.

Put $q=2t-t^2$. The second coordinate is exactly $q^2$, so this is the same parabola as in part (i), with a different increasing parametrization. Since $q$ runs from zero to one and $dq=(2-2t)dt$, the line integral isEquivalently, substitute the original parameter to get ${\int }_0^{1}5(2t-t^2{)}^3(2-2t)dt$. This demonstrates that a line integral depends on the oriented path, not on its speed of traversal.

The curl of $\mathbf{G}=\mathbf{a}\times \mathbf{r}$ is $2\mathbf{a}$. Thus for $\mathbf{a}\ne 0$ it cannot be a gradient field, while for $\mathbf{a}=0$ it is zero and all its vector-field potentials are constants. This zero-vector case is allowed by the question.

For the radial vector field $\mathbf{H}$, write $\rho =|\mathbf{r}|$. Choose a radial primitiveFor $\rho >0$, the chain rule givesHence all vector-field potentials on a connected domain where the field is defined areThe assumed existence of the needed derivatives and integrals justifies this construction. If the domain includes the origin and the field is regular there, choose ${\rho }_0=0$ and extend the primitive there. Any two vector-field potentials differ by a constant on each connected component.