Topic : Coordinate Systems and

Transformation
Coordinate systems
1. Cartesian
2. Cylindrical
3. Spherical
Transformations
1. Cartesian Cylindrical

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 Coordinate Systems and
Transformations
• An orthogonal system is one in which the coordinates
are mutually perpendicular.
• Examples of orthogonal coordinate systems include:

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 Spheroidal
• Prolate spheroidal • Oblate spheroidal

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Now, we want to represent a point P in
space using different coordinate systems.
Note that - Point P is always unchanged.
- The origin O is fixed.
- Distance OP is always fixed.

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 Cartesian Coordinates (x, y, z)
• A point P can be represented as
(x, y, z).
• Ranges of the coordinate z
variables:
– -∞ < x < ∞ y
– -∞ < y < ∞
x
– -∞ < z < ∞
– A vector A in Cartesian coordinate
(Ax, Ay, Az) or Axax + Ayay + Azaz

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 Cartesian Coordinates (x, y, z)
• Rene Descartes

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 Circular Cylindrical Coordinates
(ρ, φ, z)
• A point P is represented
by (ρ, φ, z) z
where az
ρ is the radius of the
cylinder ρ aφ
φ is called azimuthal angle P aρ
z is same as in Cartesian z
coordinate
• Ranges of variables: y
φ
0≤ρ≤∞
0 ≤ φ ≤ 2π
x
-∞ < z < ∞
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 Circular Cylindrical Coordinates
(ρ, φ, z)
• A vector A in cylindrical coordinates can be written as:
(Aρ, Aφ, Az) or Aρaρ + Aφaφ + Azaz
• Magnitude of A

• Note that unit vector aρ, aφ and az are mutually perpendicular,

thus,
aρ ∙ aρ = aφ ∙ aφ = az ∙ az = 1
aρ ∙ aφ = aφ ∙ az = az ∙ aρ = 0
aρ × aφ = az
aφ × az = aρ
az × aρ = aφ
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 POINT TRANSFORMATION

Relation between (x, y, z) and (ρ, φ, z)

z
Converting Cartesian →
Cylindrical
P(x,y,z)=P( ρ,φ,z)

ρ y
φ x = ρ cos
Converting Cylindrical → Cartesian φ
y = ρ sin
φ
x
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 VECTOR TRANSFORMATION
Relation between (ax, ay, az) and (aρ, aφ, az)
aρ
y
ax = cos φ aρ - sin φ aφ ax
φ -aφ
x

aφ ay
ay = sin φ aρ + cos φ aφ aρ
y

φ
x
az = az 10
 VECTOR TRANSFORMATION
Relation between (ax, ay, az) and (aρ, aφ, az)
ay
aρ
aρ = cos φ ax + sin φ ay y
ax
φ
x
aφ = -sin φ ax + cos φ ay ay
aφ
y
-ax
az= az φ
x
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 Spherical Coordinates (r, θ, φ)
• A point P is represented by (r, θ, φ).
• Ranges of the variable:
0≤r≤∞
0≤θ≤π
0 ≤ φ ≤ 2π
• A vector A in spherical coordinates may be
written as
(Ar, Aθ, Aφ) or Arar + Aθaθ + Aφaφ
• Magnitude of A

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 Relationship between unit vectors
ar ∙ ar = aθ ∙ aθ = aφ ∙ aφ = 1 z

ar ∙ aθ = aθ ∙ aφ = aφ ∙ ar = 0
ar
θ aφ
r aθ
ar × aθ = aφ y

aθ × aφ = ar φ
x
aφ × ar = aθ
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Relation between (x, y, z) and (r, θ, φ)
z

r
θ
z

y
φ ρ
x
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 Express ar using (ax, ay, az)
az
sin θ Projection of ar on az
ar cos θ
θ
z
Projection of ar on ax
sin θ cosφ
φ ay
Projection of ar on ay
ax sin θ sinφ
Obviously ar = sinθ cos φ ax + sinθ sin φ ay + cosθ az

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 Relation between (ax, ay, az) and
(ar, aθ, aφ),
ax = sinθ cos φ ar + cosθ cos φ aθ - sin φ aφ
ay = sinθ sin φ ar + cosθ sin φ aθ + cos φ aφ
az= cosθ ar - sinθ aθ
or
ar = sinθ cos φ ax + sinθ sin φ ay + cosθ az
aθ = cosθ cos φax + cosθ sin φ ay - sinθ az
aφ = - sin φ ax + cos φ ay
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Relation between (Ax, Ay, Az) and
(Ar, Aθ, Aφ)

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 Distance between two points
• Distance between two points with position vectors r1
and r2 is given by
d = |r2 – r1|
• Cartesian coordinates

• Circular cylindrical coordinates

• Spherical coordinates

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 Example 1: Evaluate A at P
Given point P(-2, 6, 3) and vector A = yax
+ (x+z)ay, express P and A in cylindrical
and spherical coordinates. Evaluate A at
P in the Cartesian, cylindrical, and
spherical systems.

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 Answers
In cylindrical system, P is represented as (6.32, 108.430, 3).
In spherical system, P is represented as (7, 64.620, 108.430).

In Cartesian system, A=6ax+ay

In cylindrical system, A=-0.9487aρ-6.008aφ
In spherical system, A=-0.8571ar-0.4066aθ-6.008aφ

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 Example 2: Spherical → Cartesian coordinate
transformation

(a) Express vector

in Cartesian coordinate system.

(b) Find B(-3, 4, 0).

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 Answers
(a
)

(b) At (-3,4,0), Bx = -2, By = 1, Bz = 0

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 Constant Coordinate Surfaces
• Easily generated by keeping one of the
coordinate variable constant and allowing
the other two to vary.

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 Constant Coordinate Surfaces –
Cartesian coordinates
In Cartesian system, if we keep x constant and allow y
and z to vary, an infinite plane (yz plane) is generated.
x = constant y = constant z = constant
z z
z

y
y
x y

x x
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 Constant Coordinate Surfaces –
cylindrical coordinates
ρ = constant φ = constant z = constant

z
z z

y y
y
x x
x

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 Constant Coordinate Surfaces –
spherical coordinates
r = constant θ = constant φ = constant
z

z z

y y y
x x x

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 Example 3: Constant coordinate
surfaces
Two uniform vector fields are given by
E = -5aρ + 10aφ + 3az, and F = aρ + 2aφ - 6az
Calculate
(a)
(b) The vector component of E at P(5, π/2, 3)
parallel to the line x = 2, z = 3 [(E.ay)ay]
(c) The angle E makes with the surface z = 3 at P
[E.az = E.az cos θ]
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 Answers
(a) E×F=-66aρ-27aφ-20az
|E×F|=74.06

(b) -5ay

(c) 15.020

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 Example 4: Spherical coordinates
Given a vector field
D = r sinφar – 1/r sinθ cosφaθ + r2aφ
Determine
(a) D at P(10, 1500, 3300)
(b) The component of D tangential to the
spherical surface r = 10 at P
(c) A unit vector at P perpendicular to D and
tangential to the cone θ = 1500
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 Answers
(a) D=-5ar+0.043aθ+100aφ

(b) Dt=0.043aθ+100aφ

(c) a=-0.9988ar-0.0499aφ

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Summary : Coordinate Systems and
Transformation
• The three common coordinate systems are
the Cartesian, the circular cylindrical and
the spherical.
• A point P is represented as P(x, y, z), P(ρ, φ,
z) and P(r, θ, φ) in Cartesian, cylindrical and
spherical systems respectively.
• A vector field A is represented as (Ax, Ay, Az)
or Axax +Ayay + Azaz in the Cartesian system,
as (Aρ, Aφ, Az) or Aρaφ +Aφaφ + Azaz in the
cylindrical system, as (Ar, Aθ, Aφ) or Arar
+Aθaθ + Aφaφ in the spherical system.
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Summary : Coordinate Systems and
Transformation
• It is preferable that mathematical operation
be performed in the same coordinate
system. Thus, point and vector
transformation should be performed
whenever necessary.
• Fixing one variable defines a surface; fixing
two variables defines a line; fixing three
variables defines a point.
• A unit normal vector to surface n = constant
is ± an.
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