Path Independence using the stokes theorem

calculusconservative-fieldmathematicsVector Fields

If I have a vector field $\vec{F}= A(x,y)\vec{\imath} + B(x,y) \vec{\jmath}$ which satisfies the following condition:
$$\frac {\partial A(x,y)} {\partial y}= \frac {\partial B(x,y)} {\partial x}.$$
I need to show that the line integral is path independent. So I expressed the vector field in a parametric way that means $\vec{F}= A(x(t),y(t))\vec{\imath} + B(x(t),y)(t) \vec{\jmath}$ and also since the above condition is satisfied, I can write the vector field as a gradient field $\vec{F}=\vec{\nabla} G$. With these 2 things in mind I performed the line integral and found in the end that the integral is equal to $G(t_{final}) – G(t_{initial})$.

Now I wanted to do the calculations again, only this time by using the Stokes theorem. That means that I am integrating over a closed loop from one side and in the other I am considering the surface integral of a vector field. In the end I should be getting zero in both sides. The problem I am facing though, is that since I am having a surface integral in one side I need to parameterize the surface, for which I need 2 independent variables. But I only have one and that is t in this case. Anyone can give me tips on how to proceed? Do I have the liberty to just randomly pick 2 independent variables, the same way I did in the beginning when I took the variable t?

Best Answer

This can be done without using parametrization, just calculate $\nabla \times \vec F$ to get $$\nabla \times \vec F= \left( \frac {\partial A(x,y)} {\partial y}- \frac {\partial B(x,y)} {\partial x} \right) \hat k=\vec0$$ and by Stokes' theorem, the closed line intergral over any path would also be $0$, making the field conservative. I'm assuming that the domain of $\vec F$ is $\Bbb R^3$. Hope this is helpful.

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