Calculating the line integral of a curve given line segments

824 Views Asked by At

I have the curve and I wish to integrate the curve: (x^2 dx + y^2 dy + z^2 dz).

Notation wise: A "C" as in to displace the bottom limit of an integral (I will attach an image so that it is easier to visualise).

Image: https://i.stack.imgur.com/5eERo.jpg

And the aforementioned curve consists of the line segments from (zero,one,zero) to (one,zero,one) and then from (one,zero,one) to (two,one,three).

I anticipate that there will be a kink/sharp twist in said curve.

With the boldened information being the most relevant - how would I solve this integral.

So far I have got this:

x=xA+t(xB−xA) dx=(xB-xA)dt.

y=yA+t(yB−yA) dy=(yB-yA)dt z=zA+t(zB−zA) dz=(zB-zA)dt.

so

$(ds)2=(dx)2+(dy)2+(dz)2$

$$ds=||\vec{AB}||dt$$

[Although I express doubt and skepticism whether this is right.]

Thank you for any help/assistance given.

Note: The image probably surmises the gist of my question a lot better.

-Nomad609

1

There are 1 best solutions below

6
On BEST ANSWER

Hint for the second question.

The parametric equations of the segment $[A(0,1,0),B(1,0,1)]$ are

$x=0+t(1-0)=t$

$y=1+t(0-1)=1-t$

$z=0+t(1-0)=t$

thus

$x^2=z^2=t^2$ ,$y^2=1+t^2-2t$

$dx=-dy=dz=dt$

if we replace in the integral, we get

$$\int_0^1(t^2-(1+t^2-2t)+t^2)dt=\frac{1}{3}.$$

For the other segment, we have

$x=1+t, \; y=t, \; z=1+2t$

$dx=dy=dt, \; dz=2dt$

if we replace, we find

$$\int_0^1(10t^2+10t+3)dt=\frac{34}{3}.$$