Conservative Vector Field and Potential Function:

Given,

ur 10 xy 3 z 4 4 xy 3 15 x 2 y 2 z 4 6 x 2 y 2 $ 20 x 2 y 3 z 3 9 y 2 z 2 $
F x, y, z $
i j


k

8 xz 6 yz 12 x 2 z 2
3 3

To show that the given vector field is conservative and find the potential function.

First calculate the curl of the given vector field as:

$
i $j k$
ur
F
x y z
10 xy z 4 xy 8 xz 15 x y z 6 x 2 y 2 6 yz 3
3 4 3 3 2 2 4
20 x y z 9 y 2 z 2 12 x 2 z 2
2 3 3

$ 60 x 2 y 2 z 3 18 yz 2 $ 40 xy 3 z 3 24 xz 2 $ 30 xy 2 z 4 12 xy 2
i j
2 2 k 30 xy 2 z 4 12 xy
2
60 x y z 18 yz 40 xy z 24 xz
2 2 3 3 3

0$ i 0 $j 0k$
r
0

Since the Curl of a vector field is zero.

Therefore, the vector field is conservative.

f
Therefore, there exist a potential function such that
 F . f

Therefore,

f
10 xy 3 z 4 4 xy 3 8 xz 3
x
(1)

f
15 x 2 y 2 z 4 6 x 2 y 2 6 yz 3
y
(2)

f
20 x 2 y 3 z 3 9 y 2 z 2 12 x 2 z 2
z
(3)

x y and z
Now integrate (1) with respect to treating as constant.

Therefore,

f 5x 2 y 3 z 4 2 x 2 y 3 4 x 2 z 3 g y, z
(4)

y
Differentiate (4) partially with respect to ,

Therefore,

f g
15 x 2 y 2 z 4 6 x 2 y 2
y y
(5)

From (5) and (2),

 g
6 yz 3
y

z
Now integrate the above equation with respect to ,

g y, z 3 y 2 z 3 h z

g y, z
Substitute the value of in (4),

f 5 x2 y3 z 4 2 x 2 y3 4 x2 z3 3 y 2 z 3 h z
(6)

z
Again differentiate (6) partially with respect to ,

f h
20 x 2 y 3 z 3 12 x 2 z 2 9 y 2 z 2
z z
(7)

From (7) and (3),

h
0
z

Therefore,

h z constant

h z
Substitute the value of (6),

f 5 x 2 y 3 z 4 2 x 2 y 3 4 x 2 z 3 3 y 2 z 3 constant

Hence, the potential function is given as:

f 5 x 2 y 3 z 4 2 x 2 y 3 4 x 2 z 3 3 y 2 z 3 constant