Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
The curl is a mathematical operation that measures the rotation or circulation of a vector field. It quantifies how much the vector field is swirling around at each point in space.
Related terms
Divergence (∇ ⋅): Divergence measures how much a vector field is spreading out or converging at each point in space.
Gradient (∇): Gradient represents the rate of change or slope of a scalar field, indicating its direction and magnitude.
Line Integral: A line integral calculates the total effect of a vector field along a specific path, taking into account both magnitude and direction.