A2.7

Geometry of Surfaces
Part II, 2001

(i) Give the definition of the curvature κ(t)\kappa(t) of a plane curve γ:[a,b]R2\gamma:[a, b] \longrightarrow \mathbf{R}^{2}. Show that, if γ:[a,b]R2\gamma:[a, b] \longrightarrow \mathbf{R}^{2} is a simple closed curve, then

abκ(t)γ˙(t)dt=2π\int_{a}^{b} \kappa(t)\|\dot{\gamma}(t)\| d t=2 \pi

(ii) Give the definition of a geodesic on a parametrized surface in R3\mathbf{R}^{3}. Derive the differential equations characterizing geodesics. Show that a great circle on the unit sphere is a geodesic.