41
Line Integrals
As we saw in an earlier chapter, work is defined as force times distance. Specifically, the
work done by a constant force F acting along the segmentfrom a to b is F x (b - a). If the
force is not constant,sayF = F(x),then the workdone in movingfroma to b is
W=
tF(x)
dx.
(41.1)
a
Now supposea particle movesalong the segmentfrom (xl' Yl) to (x
2
'
Y
2
)
in the plane,
and a constantforce F
= ai +bj acts on the particle at every point of the segment. The work
done is again forcetimes distance,but now "force" meansthe component
ofF
along the seg-
ment.The vector from (xl' Y
I
)
to (x
2
'
Y
2
)
is V = (x
2
-
Xl) i +
(Y2
- Y
I
)
j, and the component of
F along V is
IIFIlcos
8, where 8 is the angle between F and V. The force acts through a dis-
tance
IIVII,
so
W=
<IlFllcos
0)
IIVII
= F .
V.
Supposethe forceis not constant,
(41.2)
F(x,y) =P(x, y) i + Q(x, y) j,
and the path is a curve C ratherthan a segment. Toevaluatethe workdoneby F movingalong
C we dividethe curveup into small pieces with points
(Xi'
Y
i)
on the curve. Let
ax
i
=
Xi
- X
i-
1
and aY
i
=Y
i
- Y
i-
l
•
Then
aS
i
=
ax
i
i + aY
i
j
is the vector from
(Xi-I'
Yi-l) to
(Xi'
y).
Ifax
i
and aY
i
are small,
aS
i
is closeto the curve, and
the workdone by F going from
(Xi-I'
Yi-l) to
(Xi'
Y)
is approximately
aW
i
=
F(xi,y)·
aS
i
=(Ptx;
Y)
i + Q(x
i,
Y)
j)
. (ax
i
i +
~Yi
j)
=Pix;
y)ax
i
+ Q(x
i,
y)aY
r
(41.3)
2SS