0% found this document useful (0 votes)
168 views13 pages

Coordinate Systems in Vector Analysis

The document discusses different coordinate systems including Cartesian, cylindrical, and spherical coordinates. It provides the definitions and relationships between the base vectors and variables in each system. Transformation equations are given to convert between Cartesian and cylindrical coordinates, between cylindrical and spherical coordinates, and between spherical and Cartesian coordinates. Examples are included to demonstrate converting between coordinate systems.

Uploaded by

Nabil Abdullah
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
0% found this document useful (0 votes)
168 views13 pages

Coordinate Systems in Vector Analysis

The document discusses different coordinate systems including Cartesian, cylindrical, and spherical coordinates. It provides the definitions and relationships between the base vectors and variables in each system. Transformation equations are given to convert between Cartesian and cylindrical coordinates, between cylindrical and spherical coordinates, and between spherical and Cartesian coordinates. Examples are included to demonstrate converting between coordinate systems.

Uploaded by

Nabil Abdullah
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Matrices, Vectors & Fourier Analysis Summer 2018-19

Chapter-5
Coordinate systems

Cartesian coordinates:

Figure: Differential length, area, and volume in Cartesian coordinates.

Cartesian variables x, y, z

A  xA
ˆ x  yA
ˆ y  zA
ˆ z
Vector representation,

 A  Ax 2  Ay 2  Az 2
Magnitude of A is ,

Position vector, OP=^x x 1 + ^y y 1+ z^ z 1for P  ( x1 , y1 , z1 )


Base vector properties: xˆ  xˆ  yˆ  yˆ  zˆ  zˆ  1 and xˆ  yˆ  yˆ  xˆ  zˆ  xˆ  0


xˆ  yˆ  zˆ , yˆ  zˆ  xˆ , zˆ  xˆ  yˆ
 
A  B  Ax Bx  Ay By  Az Bz
Dot product

xˆ yˆ zˆ
 
A  B  Ax Ay Az  xˆ  Ay Bz  Az B y   yˆ  Ax Bz  Az Bx   zˆ  Ax B y  Ay Bx 
Bx By Bz
Cross product
Differential length, d ⃗l =^x dx+ ^y dy + z^ dz
Differential surface area, d ⃗s x = x^ dy dz , d ⃗s y = ^y dz dx , d ⃗s z= z^ dx dy
Differential volume, dV =dx dy dz

Page 1 of 13
Matrices, Vectors & Fourier Analysis Summer 2018-19

Cylindrical coordinates:

Figure: Differential length, area, and Figure: Point P ( r 1 , ϕ1 , z 1 ) in cylindrical coordinates; r 1is
volume in cylindrical coordinates. the radial distance from the origin in the xyplane, ϕ 1is the
angle in xy plane measured from the x axis toward the y
axis, and z 1 is the vertical distance from the xy plane.

Cylindrical variables r ,  , z

A  rA ˆ r  ˆ A  zA
ˆ z
Vector representation,

 A  Ar 2  A 2  Az 2
Magnitude of A is ,

Position vector,OP=^r r 1 + ^z z 1 for P  (r1 , 1 , z1 )


ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ
Base vector properties: rˆ  rˆ      zˆ  zˆ  1 and rˆ      zˆ  zˆ  rˆ  0
r^ × ϕ^ =^z , ϕ^ × ^z =^r , ^z × r^ =^ϕ
 
A  B  Ar Br  A B  Az Bz
Dot product
Cross product
r^ ϕ^ z^

|
Á × B́= A r
Br |
A ϕ A z = r^ ( A ϕ Bz − A z Bϕ )− ϕ^ ( A r Bz − A z Br ) + ^z ( A r B ϕ− A ϕ Br )
Bϕ B z

Differential length, d ⃗l =^r dr + ϕ^ rdϕ + ^z dz

Page 2 of 13
Matrices, Vectors & Fourier Analysis Summer 2018-19

Differential surface area, d ⃗s r =^r rdϕ dz , d ⃗sϕ = ϕ^ drdz , d ⃗s z =^z dr rdϕ


Differential volume, dV =dr rdϕ dz

Spherical coordinates:

Figure: point P( R1 , θ1 ,ϕ 1) in spherical Figure: Differential volume in spherical


coordinates. coordinates.

Spherical variables R,  , 

ˆ  ˆ A  ˆ A
A  RA  
Vector representation, r


 A  AR 2  A 2  A 2
Magnitude of A is ,

R R1 for P  ( R1 , 1 , 1 )
OP= ^
Position vector, ⃗
ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ
Base vector properties: R  R          1 and R          R  0
Rˆ  ˆ  ˆ, ˆ  ˆ  Rˆ , ˆ  Rˆ  ˆ
 
A  B  AR BR  A B  A B
Dot product
Cross product

Rˆ ˆ ˆ
 
A  B  AR A A  Rˆ  A B  A B   ˆ  AR B  A BR   ˆ  AR B  A BR 
BR B B

Page 3 of 13
Matrices, Vectors & Fourier Analysis Summer 2018-19

R dR+ θ^ R dθ+ ϕ^ R sinθ dϕ


Differential length, d ⃗l= ^
R Rdθ R sin θ dϕ , d ⃗s θ=θ^ dR R sin θ dϕ ,
Differential surface area, d ⃗s R = ^
d ⃗s ϕ =^ϕ dR Rdθ
Differential volume, dV =dR R dθ R sin θ dϕ
Transformation (Cartesian coordinates to cylindrical and vice versa):

Figure: Interrelationships between Figure: Interrelationships between base vectors


Cartesian coordinates ( x , y , z) and ( ^x , ^y ) and ( r^ , ϕ^ ).
cylindrical coordinates(r , ϕ , z).

We know, x  r cos  , y  r sin  and z = z


 y
r  x 2  y 2 ,   arctan   , z  z
x ; 0  r   , 0    2 ,    z  
Ar Aϕ Az
r^ ϕ^ z^
Ax x^ cos ϕ −sin ϕ 0
Ay ^y sin ϕ cos ϕ 0
Az ^z 0 0 1

ˆ
That is, rˆ  xˆ cos   yˆ sin  ,    xˆ sin   yˆ cos  and zˆ = z.
ˆ

Ar  Ax cos   Ay sin  , A   Ax sin   Ay cos  and Az  Az .

^x =^r cos ϕ−^ϕ sin ϕ , ^y =^r sin ϕ+ ϕ^ cos ϕ , ^z = z^


A x = Ar cos ϕ− A φ sin ϕ , A y = A r sin ϕ+ Aϕ cos ϕ , A z= A z

Page 4 of 13
Matrices, Vectors & Fourier Analysis Summer 2018-19

Transformation (Spherical coordinates to cylindrical coordinates and vice versa):

We know, r  R sin  , z  R cos  and  = 


r
R  r 2  z 2 ,   arctan   ,   
z ; 0  r   , 0    2 ,    z  
AR Aθ Aϕ
^
R θ^ ϕ^
Ar r^ sin θ cos θ 0
Az ^z cos θ −sin θ 0
Aϕ ϕ^ 0 0 1
ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ ˆ
That is, rˆ  R sin    cos  , zˆ  R cos    sin  and    .
Ar  AR sin   A cos  , Az  AR cos   A sin  and A  A .
^ ^ r^ cos θ− ^z sin θ , ϕ^ =ϕ
R=r^ sinθ− ^z cos θ , θ=
A R= A r sinθ− A z cos θ , A θ= A r cos θ− A z sin θ , A ϕ = Aϕ

Transformation (spherical coordinates to Cartesian coordinates and vice versa):

We know, x  R sin  cos  , y  R sin  sin  and z = R cos  ;

√ x 2+ y 2
R=√ x 2 + y 2 + z 2 , θ=arctan ( z ) , ϕ=arctan ( yx ); 0  r   , 0    2 ,    z  
AR Aθ Aϕ
^
R θ^ ϕ^
Ax x^ sin θ cos ϕ cos θ cos ϕ −sin ϕ
Ay ^y sin θ sin ϕ cos θ sin ϕ cos ϕ
Az ^z cos θ −sin θ 0

Page 5 of 13
Matrices, Vectors & Fourier Analysis Summer 2018-19

That is,

xˆ  Rˆ sin  cos   ˆ cos  cos   ˆ sin  , yˆ  Rˆ sin  sin   ˆ cos  sin   ˆ cos 
and zˆ  Rˆ cos   ˆ sin  .

Ax  AR sin  cos   A cos  cos   A sin  ,


Ay  AR sin  sin   A cos  sin   A cos 
and Az  AR cos   A sin  ..
^
R=^x sin θ cos ϕ+ ^y sin θ sin ϕ+ z^ cos θ
^ ^x cos θ cos ϕ+ ^y cos θ sin ϕ− ^z sin θ
θ=
ϕ^ =−^x sin ϕ+ ^y cos ϕ
A R= A x sinθ cos ϕ+ A y sin θ sin ϕ+ A z cos θ
Aθ =A x cos θ cos ϕ+ A y cos θ sin ϕ− A z sin θ
Aϕ =− A x sin ϕ+ A y cos ϕ

Figure: Interrelationships between ( x , y , z) and ( R , θ , ϕ)

Page 6 of 13
Matrices, Vectors & Fourier Analysis Summer 2018-19

Example 1: Transform (√ 2 , 34π , 3 ) from cylindrical coordinates to Cartesian coordinates.



Solution: x=r cos ϕ=√ 2 cos =−1,
4

y=r sin ϕ=√ 2 sin =1,
4
z=z=3
So, Cartesian point ( x , y , z )=(−1,1,3)

Example 2: Transform (−1,1,3) from Cartesian coordinate to cylindrical coordinate.


Solution: r =√ x 2 + y 2=√ (−1 )2 +12=√ 2

ϕ=tan−1 ( −11 )=¿ tan −1


(−1 )=

4
¿

z=z=3

Example 3: Transform ( 1,0 , √ 3 ) from Cartesian coordinate to spherical coordinate.

Solution: R=√ x 2 + y 2 + z 2= 1 2+0 2+( √ 3)2=√ 4=2



√ x 2+ y 2 √12 +0 2 π
θ=tan −1
( z )
=ta n −1
( ( √3)
2
)
=
6

Page 7 of 13
Matrices, Vectors & Fourier Analysis Summer 2018-19

y 0
ϕ=tan−1 =tan−1 =0
x 1
π
So, the spherical point ( R , θ , ϕ )= 2 , ( 6
,0 )
π
Example 4: Transform 2 , ( 6 )
,0 from spherical coordinate to Cartesian coordinate.

π
Solution: x=R sin θ cos ϕ=2 sin cos 0=1
6
π
y=R sin θ sin ϕ=2 sin sin 0=0
6
π
z=R cos θ=2 cos = √ 3
6
So, the Cartesian point ( x , y , z )=( 1,0 , √3 )

π
Example 5: Transform 2 , ( 6 )
,0 from spherical coordinate to cylindrical coordinate.

π
Solution: r =R sinθ=2 sin =1
6
π
z=R cos θ=2 cos = √ 3
6
ϕ=ϕ=0
So, the cylindrical pint ( r , z , ϕ ) =( 1 , √ 3 , 0 )
Example 6: Transform ( 1 , √3 , 0 ) from cylindrical coordinate to spherical coordinate.
2
Solution: R=√ r 2+ z 2= 12 + ( √ 3 ) =2

θ=tan −1 ( rz )=ta n ( √13 )= π6
−1

ϕ=ϕ=0
π
So, the spherical point ( R , θ , ϕ )= 2 , ( 6
,0 )
A=^x ( x + y ) + ^y ( y −x )+ z^ zin spherical coordinate.
Example 7: Express vector ⃗
Solution: We know in spherical coordinate

Page 8 of 13
Matrices, Vectors & Fourier Analysis Summer 2018-19

R A R + θ^ A θ+ ϕ^ A ϕ
A= ^

A R= A x sinθ cos ϕ+ A y sin θ sin ϕ+ A z cos θ
¿ ( x+ y ) sin θ cos ϕ+( y −x)sin θ sin ϕ+ z cos θ
¿ ( R sin θ cos ϕ+ R sin θ sin ϕ ) sin θ cos ϕ+ ( R sin θ sin ϕ−R sin θ cos ϕ ) sin θ sin ϕ+ R cos θ cos θ
¿ R sin2 θ cos2 ϕ+ R sin2 θ sin ϕ cos ϕ+ R sin2 θ sin 2 ϕ−R sin2 θ sin ϕ cos ϕ+ R cos 2 θ
¿ R sin 2 θ ( cos2 ϕ+sin 2 ϕ ) + R cos 2 θ
¿ R sin 2 θ + R cos2 θ=R
Aθ =A x cos θ cos ϕ+ A y cos θ sin ϕ− A z sin θ
¿( x + y )cos θ cos ϕ+( y−x )cos θ sin ϕ−z sinθ
¿ ( R sin θ cos ϕ+ R sin θ sin ϕ ) cos θ cos ϕ+ ( R sinθ sin ϕ−R sin θ cos ϕ ) cos θ sin ϕ−R sin θ cos θ
¿ R sin θ cos θ cos2 ϕ+ R sin θ cos θ sin ϕ cos ϕ+ R sin θ cos θ sin 2 ϕ−R sin θ cos θ sin ϕ cos ϕ−R sin θ cos θ
¿ R sin θ cos θ(sin 2 ϕ+ cos2 ϕ ¿ )−R sin θ cos θ ¿
¿0
Aϕ =− A x sin ϕ+ A y cos ϕ
¿−( x+ y ) sin ϕ+( y−x )cos ϕ
¿−( R sinθ cos ϕ+ R sin θ sin ϕ ) sin ϕ+ ( R sin θ sin ϕ−R sin θ cos ϕ ) cos ϕ
¿−R sinθ sin ϕ cos ϕ−R sin θ sin2 ϕ+ R sin θ sin ϕ cos ϕ−R sin θ cos2 ϕ
¿−R sinθ (sin2 ϕ ¿ +cos 2 ϕ)=−R sin θ¿
∴⃗ ^ R−ϕ^ R sinθ
A=R
A= ^
Example 8: Express vector ⃗ R R−ϕ^ R sin θ in Cartesian form.
A=^x A x + ^y A y + z^ A z
Solution: We know in Cartesian coordinate ⃗
A x = A R sinθ cos ϕ+ Aθ cos θ cos ϕ – A ϕ sin ϕ
¿ R sin θ cos ϕ+0. cos θ cos ϕ+ R sin θ sin ϕ
¿ x+ y
A y =A R sin θ sin ϕ+ A θ cos θ sin ϕ+ A ϕ cos ϕ
¿ R sin θ sin ϕ+0. cos θ sin ϕ – R sin θ cos ϕ
¿ y−x
A z= A R cos θ−A θ sin θ
¿ R cos θ−0. sinθ
¿z
∴⃗
A = x^ ( x+ y ) + ^y ( y−x ) + ^z z
A=^x ( x + y ) + ^y ( y −x )+ z^ z to cylindrical coordinates.
Example 9: Transform vector ⃗

Page 9 of 13
Matrices, Vectors & Fourier Analysis Summer 2018-19

A=^r A r + ϕ^ A ϕ + ^z A z
Solution: We know, cylindrical coordinate ⃗
Ar = A x cos ϕ+ A y sin ϕ=( x + y ) cos ϕ+ ( y−x ) sin ϕ
¿ ( r cos ϕ+ r sin ϕ ) cos ϕ+ ( r sin ϕ−r cos ϕ ) sin ϕ
¿ r cos2 ϕ+r sin ϕ cos ϕ+r sin2 ϕ−r sin ϕ cos ϕ
¿ r ( cos 2 ϕ+ sin 2 ϕ )=r
Aϕ =− A x sin ϕ+ A y cos ϕ
¿−( x+ y ) sin ϕ+ ( y−x ) cos ϕ
¿−( r cos ϕ+r sin ϕ ) sin ϕ+ ( r sin ϕ−r cos ϕ ) cos ϕ
¿−r cos ϕ sin ϕ−r sin 2 ϕ+r cos ϕ sin ϕ−r co s2 ϕ
¿−r ( sin2 ϕ+co s2 ϕ )
¿−r
A z=z
∴⃗
A =^r r −^ϕ r + ^z z
A=^r r−^ϕ r + z^ z in Cartesian coordinate.
Example 10: Express vector ⃗
Solution: We know in Cartesian coordinate ⃗ A=^x A x + ^y A y + z^ A z
A x = Ar cos φ− A φ sin φ
¿ r cos φ+ r sin φ
¿ x+ y
A y =A r sin φ+ A φ cos φ
¿ r sin φ−r cos φ
¿ y−x
A z=z
Hence, ∴ ⃗
A = x^ ( x+ y ) + ^y ( y−x ) + ^z z
A=^r 3cos ϕ− ϕ^ 2r + z^ z to spherical coordinate.
Example 11: Transform the vector ⃗
R A R + θ^ A θ+ ϕ^ A ϕ
A= ^
Solution: We know in spherical coordinate ⃗
A R= A r sinθ + A z cos θ
¿ 3 cos ϕ sin θ+ z cos θ=3 cos ϕ sin θ+ R cos θ cos θ
Aθ =A r cos θ−A z sin θ
¿ 3 cos ϕ cos θ−z sinθ=3 cos ϕ cos θ−R cos θ sin θ
Aϕ = A ϕ =−2 r=−2 R sin θ

∴⃗ ^ ( 3 cos ϕ sinθ+ R cos 2 θ )−θ^ 2 R sinθ + ϕ^ ( 3 cos ϕ cos θ−R cos θ sin θ )
A=R

Page 10 of 13
Matrices, Vectors & Fourier Analysis Summer 2018-19

  
ˆA  Rˆ cos   ˆ sin   ˆ sin 2   3, ,  
Example 12: Transform the vector at the point  2  to
cylindrical coordinates.
  
ˆA  Rˆ cos   ˆ sin   ˆ sin 2   3, ,  
Solution: Given that, at the point  2  .

R  3,   ,    then r =Rsin  3,    and z =Rcos  0
Here, 2

  
 3, ,     3,  , 0 
We get,  2 
Now, from given equation A R=cos φ=−1, Aθ =sin φ=0 , A φ =sin 2 θ=1
We know,
Aˆ  Ar rˆ  Aˆ  Az zˆ
 Ar  AR sin   A cos   1, A  A  1 and Az  AR cos   A sin   0
ˆ ˆ
Hence, A   rˆ   .
   
A  rˆ cos   ˆ sin   zˆ sin  cos  at the point  2, , 2 
Example 13: Transform the vector  4 .
to spherical coordinates.
   
A  rˆ cos   ˆ sin   zˆ sin  cos  at the point  2, , 2  .
Solution: Given that ,  4 


Ar  cos  , A   sin  , and Az  cos  sin  and r =2,  = , z2
Here, 4

r 2  
R  r 2  z 2  4  4  8 ,   tan 1    tan 1    ,  
We get, z 2 4 4

  
 ( R, ,  )   8, , 
 4 4

A  AR Rˆ  A ˆ  Aˆ
We know,
AR  Ar sin   Az cos  , A  Ar cos   Az sin  and A  A .
Here,
AR  cos  sin   cos  sin  cos  , A  Ar cos  cos   cos  sin  sin  and A   sin .

 A   cos  sin   cos  sin  cos   Rˆ   Ar cos  cos   cos  sin  sin   ˆ    sin   ˆ

    1 ˆ
 8, ,  A  .853Rˆ  0.1464ˆ  
At the point  4 4 2 .

Page 11 of 13
Matrices, Vectors & Fourier Analysis Summer 2018-19

Sample exercise-5
1. Convert the coordinates of the following points from Cartesian to cylindrical and
spherical coordinates:
2π 5 π 2π
a. p1=(−1 , √ 3 ,−2 √ 3) (
Ans: 2 ,
3 ) (
,−2 √ 3 and 4 , ,
6 3
. )

Ans: ( 4 , 0 ,−4) and ( 4 √ 2 ,
4 )
b. p2=(4 ,0 ,−4 ) ,0 .

7π π 7π
Ans: ( 4 , , 4 ) and ( 4 √ 2 , ,
4 4 )
c. p3=( √ 8 ,− √8 , 4 ) .
4
2. Convert the coordinates of the following points from cylindrical to Cartesian and
spherical coordinates:
2π π 2π
a. p1=(2 ,
3
,2 √ 3) Ans: (−1 , √3 , 2 √ 3 ) and 4 ,( ,
6 3
.)

b. p2=( √ 3 ,0 ,−1) Ans: ( √ 3 , 0 ,−1) and 2 , ( 3
,0 . )

c. p3=(4 √ 3 , π ,−4) Ans: (−4 √ 3 , 0 ,−4 ) and 8 , ( 3 )
,π .

3. Convert the coordinates of the following points from spherical to Cartesian and
cylindrical coordinates:

a. p1=(3 ,
3π 5π
,
4 3
) Ans: ( 3 √42 ,− 3 √4 6 , −3√ 2 ) and ( √32 , 53π , −3√ 2 ) .
π π π
b. p2=(4 , , )
2 4
Ans: (2 √ 2, 2 √2 , 0) and 4 , ( 4 )
,0 .

π π 1 1 1 π 1
c. p3=(1 , , )
4 2 (
Ans: 0 , ,
√2 √ 2
and) ( , ,
√2 2 √2
. )
4. Transform the following vectors into cylindrical coordinates at the indicated
points:
a. A=^x ( x + y ) + ^y ( x + y ) + ^z z at p=(4 , 0 ,−4) Ans: A=4 r^ + 4 ϕ^ −4 ^z .

^ sin θ+ θ^ cos θ+ ϕ^ cos2 ϕ at p=(2 , π π 1


b. B= R , ) Ans: B=r^ + ϕ^ .
2 4 2
5. Transform the following vectors into spherical coordinates at the indicated
points:
a. A= ^x y− ^y x at p=(1 ,−1 , 0) Ans: A=−√ 2 ϕ^ .
π 1 1
b. B= z^ sin ϕ at p=(2 , ,2) Ans: B= ^R − θ^.
4 2 2

Page 12 of 13
Matrices, Vectors & Fourier Analysis Summer 2018-19

6. Transform the following vectors into cartesian coordinates at the indicated


points:
π
a. A=−^ϕ R sin θ at p=(1 , , 0) Ans: A=−^y .
2
2π 1 √ 3 ^y + 2 √ 3 ^z .
b. B=− r^ cos ϕ− ϕ^ sin ϕ+ ^z z at p=(2 , , 2 √ 3) Ans: B= x^ +
3 2 2

Page 13 of 13

You might also like