18EE240 - ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS

Vectors, Vector Fields and Coordinate

Systems
M.Varatharajan
Assistant Professor
Department of EEE
Thiagarajar College of Engineering
Madurai

1-1
1-2
 Field
• Mathematical Definition
– A set on which addition, subtraction, multiplication, and
division are defined and behave as the corresponding
operations on rational and real numbers do
• Physical View:
– A 2D / 3D space where analysis is done

1-3
 Vector Field
We are accustomed to thinking of a specific vector:

A vector field is a function defined in space that has magnitude

and direction at all points:

where r = (x,y,z)

1-5
 Example Vector fields

Air flow over a tube

Tornado

Source: http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~jkh/462_s07/24_visualization.pdf
1-6
 Vector Addition

Associative Law:

Distributive Law:

1-7
Rectangular Coordinate System

1-8
Point Locations in Rectangular Coordinates

1-9
Differential Line, Differential Surface &
Differential Volume Element

1-10
Differential elements in rectangular
coordinate systems

1-11
Summary

1-12
Orthogonal Vector Components

1-13
Orthogonal Unit Vectors

1-14
 Vector Representation in Terms of
Orthogonal Rectangular Components

1-15
 Vector Expressions in Rectangular
Coordinates

General Vector, B:

Magnitude of B:

Unit Vector in the

Direction of B:

1-16
Example

1-17
 The Dot Product

Commutative Law:

1-18
 Vector Projections Using the Dot Product

B • a gives the component of B (B • a) a gives the vector component

in the horizontal direction of B in the horizontal direction

1-19
Projection of a vector on another
vector
 Operational Use of the Dot Product

Given

Find

where we have used:

Note also:

1-21
Cross Product

1-22
 Operational Definition of the Cross Product in
Rectangular Coordinates

Begin with:

where
Therefore:

Or…

1-23
Vector Product or Cross Product
 Constant coordinate surfaces-
Cartesian system
 If we keep one of the coordinate
variables constant and allow the
other two to vary, constant
coordinate surfaces are generated
in rectangular, cylindrical and
spherical coordinate systems.
 We can have infinite planes:
X=constant,
Y=constant,
Z=constant
 These surfaces are perpendicular to x, y and z axes respectively.
1-25
 Constant coordinate surfaces-
Cartesian system
 If we keep one of the coordinate
variables constant and allow the
other two to vary, constant
coordinate surfaces are generated
in rectangular, cylindrical and
spherical coordinate systems.
 We can have infinite planes:
X=constant,
Y=constant,
Z=constant
 These surfaces are perpendicular to x, y and z axes respectively.
1-26
 Constant coordinate surfaces-
cylindrical system
 Orthogonal surfaces in cylindrical
coordinate system can be generated as
ρ=constnt
Φ=constant
z=constant
 ρ=constant is a circular cylinder,
 Φ=constant is a semi infinite plane with
its edge along z axis
 z=constant is an infinite plane as in the
rectangular system.

1-27
Cylindrical Coordinate Systems

1-28
Cylindrical Coordinate Systems

1-29
Cylindrical Coordinate Systems

1-30
Cylindrical Coordinate Systems

1-31
Differential Displacement, Differential Surface &
Differential Volume in Cylindrical Coordinates

Differential Displacement

Differential Normal Area

dV = dddz
1-32
 Point Transformations in Cylindrical
Coordinates

Consider the quadrants

1-33
Quadrants to consider in tan-1

1-34
Dot Products of Unit Vectors in Cylindrical and
Rectangular Coordinate Systems

1-35
Example 1

1-36
Example 2

1-37
1-38
 Example 3
Transform the vector, into cylindrical coordinates:

Start with:

Then:

1-39
Problem: Convert this vector field in to cartesian coordinates

Solution:

Steps:
 Example 3: cont.

Finally:
Spherical Coordinates

1-41
Spherical Coordinates

1-42
 Constant coordinate surfaces-
Spherical system
 Orthogonal surfaces in spherical
coordinate system can be generated
as
r=constant
θ=constant
Φ=constant

 r=constant is a sphere with its centre at the origin,

 θ =constant is a circular cone with z axis as its axis and origin at
the vertex,

 Φ =constant is a semi infinite plane as in the cylindrical system.

1-43
 Spherical Coordinates

Anti Aircraft Gun firing

Correction: 0 <= ϕ < 2π

(i.e. ϕ value can be 0 also) 1-44
Spherical Coordinates

1-45
Spherical Coordinates

1-46
Spherical Coordinates

Point P has coordinates

Specified by P(r)

1-47
 Differential Surface &
Differential Volume in Spherical Coordinates

dV = r2sindrdd

1-48
Differential elements in Spherical
coordinate systems

1-49
Dot Products of Unit Vectors in the Spherical
and Rectangular Coordinate Systems

1-50
Example: Vector Component Transformation
Transform the field, , into spherical coordinates and components

1-51