How to Find Potential Functions? A 10 Minute Introduction
Definition/Summary Given a vector field ##\vec F(x,y,z)## that has a potential function, how do you find it? Equations $$\nabla \phi(x,y,z) = \vec F(x,y,z)$$ $$\nabla \times \vec F(x,y,z) = \vec 0$$ Extended explanation Suppose we are given a vector field ##\vec F(x,y,z)=\langle f(x,y,z),g(x,y,z),h(x,y,z)\rangle## that has a potential function ##\phi## and we wish to recover the potential…