From Vector Analysis to Differential Forms

Hirokazu Nishimura

Published 2008-11-17, updated 2008-12-17Version 4

In our previous paper [International Journal of Theoretical Physics, 41 (2002), 1165-1190] we have shown, following the tradition of synthetic differential geometry, that div and rot are uniquely determined, so long as we require that the divergence theorem and the Stokes theorem should hold on the infinitesimal level. In this paper we will simplify the discussion considerably in terms of differential forms, leading to the natural derivation of exterior differentiation in the usual form.