Examples in Low Dimensions
Differential forms in R2 and R3 were well known in the mathematical physics of the nineteenth century. In the plane, 0-forms are just functions, and 2-forms are functions times the basic area element dx∧dy, so that it is the 1-forms
that are of real interest. The formula for the exterior derivative d here is
where the subscripts denote partial derivatives. Therefore the condition for α to be closed is
In this case if h(x,y) is a function then
The implication from 'exact' to 'closed' is then a consequence of the symmetry of second derivatives, with respect to x and y.
Read more about this topic: Closed And Exact Differential Forms
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