Review of Coordinate Systems

A good understanding of coordinate systems can be very helpful in solving problems related to Maxwells Equations. The three most common coordinate systems are rectangular (x, y, z), cylindrical (r, , z), and spherical ( r , , ).

Unit vectors in rectangular, cylindrical, and spherical coordinates

In rectangular coordinates a point P is specified by x, y, and z, where these values are all measured from the origin (see figure at right). A vector at the point P is specified in terms of three mutually perpendicular (also called i, j, and k components with unit vectors i, j, and k form a rightx, y, and z ). The unit vectors
handed set; that is, if you push i into j with your right direction. hand, your right thumb will point along k

In cylindrical coordinates a point P is specified by r, , z, where is measured from the x axis (or x-z plane) (see figure at right). A vector at the point P is specified in terms of three mutually perpendicular perpendicular to components with unit vectors r perpendicular to the the cylinder of radius r, plane through the z axis at angle , and z perpendicular to the x-y plane at distance z. The , , z form a right-handed set. unit vectors r

In spherical coordinates a point P is specified by r , , , where r is measured from the origin, is measured from the z axis, and is measured from the x axis (or x-z plane) (see figure at right). With z axis up, is sometimes called the zenith angle and the azimuth angle. A vector at the point P is specified in terms of three mutually perpendicular components with unit vectors r perpendicular to the sphere of radius r, perpendicular to the cone of angle , and perpendicular to the plane through the z axis at , , form a rightangle . The unit vectors r handed set.

Infinitesimal lengths and volumes An infinitesimal length in the rectangular system is given by
dL = d x2 + d y2 + d z2

(1)

and an infinitesimal volume by

dv = dx dy dz

(2)

In the cylindrical system the corresponding quantities are

dL = d r 2 + r 2 d 2 + d z 2

(3) (4)

and

d v = d r r d d z

In the spherical system we have

dL = and

d r 2 + r 2 d 2 + r 2 sin 2 d 2

(5) (6)

d v = dr r d r sin d

Direction cosines and coordinate-system transformation As shown in the figure on the right, the projection x of the scalar distance r on the x axis is given by r cos where is the angle between r and the x axis. The projection of r on the y axis is given by r cos , and the projection on the z axis by r cos . Note that = so cos = cos .
The quantities cos , cos , and cos are called the direction cosines. From the theorem of Pythagoras, cos 2 + cos 2 + cos 2 = 1 (7)

The scalar distance r of a spherical coordinate system transforms into rectangular coordinate distance x = r cos = r sin cos y = r cos = r sin sin z = r cos = r cos from which cos = sin cos cos = sin sin cos = cos (8) (9) (10) (11) (12) (13)

direction cosines

As the converse of (8), (9), and (10), the spherical coordinate values ( r , , ) may be expressed in terms of rectangular coordinate distances as follows: r = x2 + y2 + z2
z x + y2 + z2
2

r0
(0 )

(14) (15)

= cos 1
y x

= tan 1

(16)

From these and similar coordinate transformations of spherical to rectangular and rectangular to spherical coordinates, we may express a vector A at some point P with spherical components Ar , A , A as the rectangular components Ax , A y , and Az , where

Ax = Ar sin cos + A cos cos A sin A y = Ar sin sin + A cos sin + A cos Az = Ar cos A sin

(17) (18) (19)

Note that the direction cosines are simply the dot products of the spherical unit vector r with the rectangular unit vectors x, y, and z: x = sin cos = cos r y = sin sin = cos r z = cos = cos r

(20) (21) (22)

These and other dot product combinations are listed in the following table: Rectangular Cylindrical z
0 0 1

Spherical z
0 0 1

Rectangular

x
1 0 0

y
0 1 0

cos sin
0

sin cos
0

sin cos sin sin

cos sin
0

cos cos cos sin

sin cos
0

sin cos
0

y
z

Cylindrical

cos sin
0

sin cos
0

0 0 1

1 0 0

0 1 0

0 0 1

0 1 0

cos

sin

Spherical

sin cos cos cos sin

sin sin cos sin cos

cos sin
0

sin cos
0

0 0 1

cos sin
0

1 0 0

0 1 0

0 0 1

in the cylindrical and spherical systems are not the same. Note that the unit vectors r For example,

Spherical x = sin cos r y = sin sin r z = cos r

Cylindrical x = cos r y = sin r z = 0 r

In addition to rectangular, cylindrical, and spherical coordinate systems, there are many other systems such as the elliptical, spheroidal (both prolate and oblate), and paraboloidal systems. Although the number of possible systems is infinite, all of them can be treated in terms of a generalized curvilinear coordinate system. The fundamental parameters of the rectangular, cylindrical, and spherical coordinate systems are summarized in the following table:

Coordinate system
Rectangular

Coordinates
x y z r

Range

to + to + to +
0 to 0 to 2 to + 0 to 0 to 0 to 2

Unit vectors x or i y or j z or k
r z r

Length elements dx dy dz
dr r d dz dr r d r sin d

Coordinate surfaces Plane x=constant Plane y=constant Plane z=constant

Cylinder r=constant =constant Plane Plane z=constant Sphere Cone Plane r=constant =constant =constant

Cylindrical

z r

Spherical

The following two tables give the unit vector dot products in rectangular coordinates for both rectangular-cylindrical and rectangular-spherical coordinates.

x x
x2 + y 2 y x2 + y 2
0

y y
x2 + y2 x x2 + y2
0

z
0

Rectangular-cylindrical product in rectangular coordinates

y = cos = Example:

x x2 + y2

x x2 + y 2 + z 2 xz x2 + y 2 x2 + y 2 + z 2 y x +y
2 2 2

y y

z z

x2 + y 2 + z 2 yz x2 + y 2 x2 + y 2 + z 2 x x + y2

x2 + y 2 + z 2 x2 + y 2 x2 + y 2 + z 2
0

Rectangular-spherical product in rectangular coordinates

= sin cos = r Example: x

x x + y2 + z2
2

Here are the transformations of vector components between coordinate systems:

Rectangular to cylindrical
Ar = Ax x x2 + y 2 y + Ay x x2 + y2 x

Cylindrical to rectangular
Ax = Ar cos A sin

A = Ax
Az = Az

x2 + y 2

+ Ay

x2 + y 2

Ay = Ar sin A cos
Az = Az

Rectangular to spherical x Ar = Ax + Ay x2 + y 2 + z 2

y x2 + y 2 + z 2

+ Az

z x2 + y 2 + z 2 yz Az x2 + y 2 x2 + y 2 + z 2

+ Ay x2 + y 2 x2 + y 2 + z 2 y x + Ay A = Ax x2 + y 2 x2 + y 2
Spherical to rectangular

A = Ax

xz

x2 + y 2 x2 + y 2 + z 2

Ax = Ar sin cos + A cos cos A sin Ay = Ar sin sin + A cos sin + A cos Az = Ar cos A sin

And here are expressions for the gradient, divergence, and curl in all three coordinate systems:

Rectangular coordinates
f = x f f f +y +z x y z A A A A = x + y + z x y z
y y Ay z z Az

x Az Ay Ax Az Ay Ax A = x = +z y z +y x x y x z Ax

Cylindrical coordinates 1 f f f + +z r z r 1 1 A Az A = rAr + + r r r z f = r

1 r 1 Az A Ar 1 Ar Az = rA A = r +z r z + r r z r r Ar r rA z 1 r z Az

Spherical coordinates 1 f f 1 f + + r r r sin 1 A 1 1 ( A sin ) + A = 2 r 2 Ar + r r r sin r sin 1 A 1 1 Ar 1 A rA r A = r + ( A sin ) rA + r sin r sin r r r f = r