THE COORDINATE SYSTEMS
THE CARTESIAN
COORDINATE SYSTEM
(𝑥,𝑦,𝑧)
THE CIRCULAR
THE SPHERICAL
CYLINDRICAL
COORDINATE
COORDINATE
SYSTEM (𝑟,𝜃,𝜙)
SYSTEM (𝜌,𝜙,𝑧)
1.8 OTHER COORDINATE SYSTEM
1.8.1 CIRCULAR CYLINDRICAL COORDINATE SYSTEM
(𝜌, 𝜙, 𝑧)
Using the circular cylindrical coordinate system when
we are dealing with problems having cylindrical
symmetry.
A point 𝑃 in cylindrical coordinates is represented as
(𝜌, 𝜙, 𝑧)
Define each space variable in cylindrical coordinate system:
• 𝜌 is the radius of the cylinder passing through 𝑃 or the radial
distance from the 𝑧-axis;
• 𝜙 called the azimuthal angle is measured from the 𝑥-axis in
the 𝑥𝑦-plane;
• 𝑧 is the same as in the Cartesian coordinate system.
According to these definitions, the ranges of the variables are:
• 0≤𝜌<∞
• 0 ≤ 𝜙 < 2𝜋
• −∞ < 𝑧 < ∞
A vector 𝐀 in cylindrical coordinates can be written as
𝐀 = 𝐴𝜌 𝐚𝜌 + 𝐴𝜙 𝐚𝜙 + 𝐴𝑧 𝐚𝑧
Where 𝐚𝜙 is not in degrees; it is the unit vector of 𝐀.
𝐚𝜌 , 𝐚𝜙 , and 𝐚𝑧 are unit vectors in the 𝜌, 𝜙, and 𝑧-directions
For example: if a force of 10𝑁 acts on a particle in a circular
motion, the force may be represented as 𝐅 = 10 𝐚𝜙 𝑁.
In this case, 𝐚𝜙 is in newton.
The magnitude of vector 𝐀 is:
ǀ𝐀ǀ = (𝐴𝜌 )2 +(𝐴𝜙 )2 +(𝐴𝑧 )2
Notice that the unit vectors 𝐚𝜌 , 𝐚𝜙 , and 𝐚𝑧 are
mutually perpendicular because our coordinate
system is orthogonal, Thus,
𝐚𝜌 . 𝐚𝜙 = 0 𝐚𝜌 . 𝐚𝜌 = 1 𝐚𝜌 × 𝐚𝜙 = 𝐚𝑧
𝐚𝜙 . 𝐚𝑧 = 0 𝐚𝜙 . 𝐚𝜙 = 1 𝐚𝜙 × 𝐚𝑧 = 𝐚𝜌
𝐚𝑧 . 𝐚𝜌 = 0 𝐚𝑧 . 𝐚𝑧 = 1 𝐚𝑧 × 𝐚𝜌 = 𝐚𝜙
Fig. 1.10 point 𝑃 and unit vectors in the cylindrical coordinate system
1.8.2 THE SPHERICAL COORDINATE SYSTEM
(𝑟, 𝜃, 𝜙)
The spherical coordinate system is appropriate when
dealing with problems having a degree of spherical
symmetry.
A point 𝑃 can be represented as (𝑟, 𝜃, 𝜙)
Fig. 1.11 the three spherical coordinates.
From Figure (1.11), we notice that:
• 𝑟 is defined as the distance from the origin to point 𝑃 or
the radius of a sphere centered at the origin and passing
through 𝑃;
• 𝜃 called the colatitude is the angle between the 𝑧-axis
and the position vector of 𝑃; and
• 𝜙 is measured from the 𝑥 -axis (the same as in
cylindrical coordinate system).
According to these definitions, the ranges of the variables
are
• 0≤𝑟<∞
• 0≤𝜃≤𝜋
• 0 ≤ 𝜙 < 2𝜋
A vector 𝐀 in spherical coordinates may be written as
𝐀 = 𝐴𝑟 𝐚𝑟 + 𝐴𝜃 𝐚𝜃 + 𝐴𝜙 𝐚𝜙
The magnitude of vector 𝐀 is ǀ𝐀ǀ •
= (𝐴𝑟 )2 +(𝐴𝜃 )2 +(𝐴𝜙 )2
The unit vectors 𝐚𝑟 , 𝐚𝜃 and 𝐚𝜙 are mutually
orthogonal;
𝐚𝑟 in the direction of increasing 𝑟,
𝐚𝜃 in the direction of increasing 𝜃 and
𝐚𝜙 in the direction of increasing 𝜙. Thus
𝐚𝑟 . 𝐚𝜃 = 0
𝐚𝜃 . 𝐚𝜙 = 0
𝐚𝜙 . 𝐚𝑟 = 0
𝐚𝑟 . 𝐚𝑟 = 1
𝐚𝜃 . 𝐚𝜃 = 1
𝐚𝜙 . 𝐚𝜙 = 1
𝐚𝑟 × 𝐚𝜃 = 𝐚𝜙
𝐚𝜃 × 𝐚𝜙 = 𝐚𝑟
𝐚𝜙 × 𝐚𝑟 = 𝐚𝜃
1.9 THE TRANSFORMATION BETWEEN COORDINATES
1.9.1 between Cartesian and cylindrical coordinate systems
The variables of the rectangular and cylindrical coordinate systems are
easily related to each other. Figure (1.12), show that
Fig. 1.12 the relationship
between the Cartesian
variables 𝑥,𝑦,𝑧 and the
cylindrical variables 𝜌,𝜙,𝑧.
Express the cylindrical variables in terms of 𝑥, 𝑦, and 𝑧:
𝜌= 𝑥2 + 𝑦2 𝜌≥0
𝑦
𝜙 = tan−1
𝑥
𝑧=𝑧
given a Cartesian vector:
𝐀 = 𝐴𝑥 𝐚𝑥 + 𝐴𝑦 𝐚𝑦 + 𝐴𝑧 𝐚𝑧
Where each component is given as a function of
𝑥, 𝑦, and 𝑧, and we need a vector in cylindrical
coordinates
𝐀 = 𝐴𝜌 𝐚𝜌 + 𝐴𝜙 𝐚𝜙 + 𝐴𝑧 𝐚𝑧
To find any desired component of a vector, from the
discussion of the dot product that a component in a
desired direction may be obtained by taking the dot
product of the vector and a unit vector in that
direction. Hence,
𝐴𝜌 = 𝐀 . 𝐚𝜌 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐴𝜙 = 𝐀 . 𝐚𝜙
Expanding these dot products, we have
𝐴𝜌 = 𝐴𝑥 𝐚𝑥 + 𝐴𝑦 𝐚𝑦 + 𝐴𝑧 𝐚𝑧 . 𝐚ρ = 𝐴𝑥 𝐚𝑥 . 𝐚ρ
+ 𝐴𝑦 𝐚𝑦 . 𝐚ρ
𝐴𝜙 = 𝐴𝑥 𝐚𝑥 + 𝐴𝑦 𝐚𝑦 + 𝐴𝑧 𝐚𝑧 . 𝐚𝜙 = 𝐴𝑥 𝐚𝑥 . 𝐚𝜙
+ 𝐴𝑦 𝐚𝑦 . 𝐚𝜙
𝐴z = 𝐴𝑥 𝐚𝑥 + 𝐴𝑦 𝐚𝑦 + 𝐴𝑧 𝐚𝑧 . 𝐚z = 𝐴𝑧 𝐚𝑧 . 𝐚z = 𝐴𝑧
Applying the definition of dot products of the unit
vectors are given in Table (1.1)
Dot 𝐚𝜌 𝐚𝜙 𝐚𝑧
product
𝐚𝑥 cos 𝜙 −sin 𝜙 0
𝐚𝑦 sin 𝜙 cos 𝜙 0
𝐚𝑧 0 0 1
1.9.2 between Cartesian and spherical coordinate system
The transformation of scalars from the Cartesian to the
spherical coordinate system is made by using Figure
(1.11) to relate the two sets of variables:
𝑥 = 𝑟 sin𝜃 cos𝜙
𝑦 = 𝑟 sin𝜃 sin𝜙
𝑧 = 𝑟 cos𝜃
Dot product 𝐚𝜌 𝐚𝜙 𝐚𝑧
𝐚𝑥 cos 𝜙 −sin 𝜙 0
𝐚𝑦 sin 𝜙 cos 𝜙 0
𝐚𝑧 0 0 1
Table (1.2)
The transformation in the reverse direction is achieved by
𝑟 = 𝑥2 + 𝑦2 + 𝑧2 𝑟≥0
−1
𝑧
𝜃 = cos 0𝑜 ≤ 𝜃 ≤ 180
𝑥2 + 𝑦2 + 𝑧2
−1
𝑦
𝜙 = tan
𝑥
Since the dot product of any spherical unit vector with any Cartesian
unit vector is the component of the spherical vector in the direction of
the Cartesian vector, the dot products with 𝐚z are found to be:
𝐚𝑧 . 𝐚𝑟 = cosθ
𝐚𝑧 . 𝐚𝜃 = −sinθ
𝐚𝑧 . 𝐚𝜙 = 0
1.10 Differential, volume, surface, and line
elements
1.10.1 In the Cartesian coordinate system
If we visualize three planes intersecting at
the general point 𝑃, whose coordinates are
𝑥, 𝑦 and 𝑧, we may increase each coordinate
value by a differential amount and obtain
three slightly displaced planes intersecting at
point 𝑃′ whose coordinates are 𝑥 + 𝑑𝑥, 𝑦
+ 𝑑𝑦, and 𝑧 + 𝑑𝑧
The six planes define a rectangular parallelepiped
whose
(1) Differential displacement is given by
𝑑𝐋 = 𝑑𝑥 𝐚𝑥 + 𝑑𝑦 𝐚𝑦 + 𝑑𝑧 𝐚𝑧
(2) Differential normal area (the surfaces areas 𝑑𝐒) is
given by
𝑑𝐒 = 𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑧 𝐚𝑥
𝑑𝐒 = 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑧 𝐚𝑦
𝑑𝐒 = 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑦 𝐚𝑧
(3) Differential volume is given by
𝑑𝑣 = 𝑑𝑥 𝑑𝑦 𝑑𝑧
Fig. 1.13 the differential volume element in Cartesian coordinates; 𝑑𝑥,
𝑑𝑦, and 𝑑𝑧: are, in general, independent differentials.
Fig. 1.14 Differential normal areas in Cartesian coordinates
1.10.2 In the cylindrical coordinates system
A differential volume element in cylindrical
coordinates may be obtained by increasing 𝜌, 𝜙, and 𝑧
by the differential increments 𝑑𝜌, 𝑑𝜙 and 𝑑𝑧. The two
cylinders of radius 𝜌 and 𝜌 + 𝑑𝜌 , the two radial
planes at angles 𝜙 and 𝜙 + 𝑑𝜙 and the two
“horizontal” planes at “elevations” 𝑧 and 𝑧 + 𝑑𝑧
Note that 𝑑𝜌 and 𝑑𝑧 are dimensionally lengths, but
𝑑𝜙 is not; 𝜌𝑑𝜙 is the length.
(1) Differential displacement is given by
𝑑𝐋 = 𝑑𝜌 𝐚𝜌 + 𝜌𝑑𝜙 𝐚𝜙 + 𝑑𝑧 𝐚𝑧
(2) Differential normal area is given by
𝑑𝐒 = 𝜌 𝑑𝜙 𝑑𝑧 𝐚𝜌
𝑑𝐒 = 𝑑𝜌 𝑑𝑧 𝐚𝜙
𝑑𝐒 = 𝜌 𝑑𝜌 𝑑𝜙 𝐚𝑧
(3) Differential volume is given by
𝑑𝑣 = 𝜌 𝑑𝜌 𝑑𝜙 𝑑𝑧
Fig. 1.15 the differential volume unit in the circular cylindrical
coordinate system; 𝑑𝜌, 𝜌𝑑𝜙, and 𝑑𝑧: are all elements of length.
Fig. 1.16 Differential normal areas in cylindrical coordinates
1.10.3 In the spherical coordinate system
A differential volume element may be constructed in
spherical coordinates by increasing 𝑟, 𝜃, and 𝜙 by 𝑑𝑟,
𝑑θ, and 𝑑𝜙, as shown in Fig. 1.17. The distance
between the two spherical surfaces of radius 𝑟 and 𝑟
+ 𝑑𝑟 is 𝑑𝑟; the distance between the two cones having
generating angles of 𝜃 and 𝜃 + 𝑑𝜃 is 𝑟𝑑𝜃; and the
distance between the two radial planes at angles 𝜙 and
𝜙 + 𝑑𝜙 is found to be 𝑟 sin 𝜃 𝑑𝜙.
(1) The differential displacement is
𝑑𝐋 = 𝑑𝑟 𝐚𝑟 + 𝑟𝑑𝜃 𝐚𝜃 + 𝑟 sin 𝜃 𝑑𝜙 𝐚𝜙
(2) The differential normal area is
𝑑𝐒 = 𝑟 2 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 𝑑𝜃 𝑑𝜙 𝐚𝑟
𝑑𝐒 = 𝑟 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜃 𝑑𝑟 𝑑𝜙 𝐚𝜃
𝑑𝐒 = 𝑟𝑑𝑟𝑑𝜃 𝐚𝜙
(3) The differential volume is
𝑑𝑣 = 𝑟 2 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃 𝑑𝑟 𝑑𝜃 𝑑𝜙
Fig. 1.17 the differential volume element in the spherical coordinate
system.
Fig. 1.18 Differential normal areas in spheriacl coordinates
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