Method I: Trigonometry

cos sin sin sin cos = + + r i j k

r

,

- not constant
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Polar angle
Azimuthal angle

,
Spherical Coordinates:
r

x
y
z

A
sinu
sinucos
sinusin
cosu
Consider then imaging that you
decompose it along i, j, k
r

( )
( )
2 2 2
1
1
sin cos
sin sin
cos
cos /
tan /
x r
y r
z r
r x y z
z r
y x

=
=
=
= + +
=
=
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Polar angle unit vector
First, draw in x-y plane, then
decompose along i and j

sin cos = + i j
r

x
y
z

i
j

x
y
z

A

2

-sinu
cosu
i
j

cosucos
cosusin
Azimuthal angle unit vector

cos cos sin cos sin = + i j k

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r

x
y
z

A
Polar angle unit vector
2
2

sin
sin

sin

'
d dr rd r d
d r drd d
d r d d
d rdrd

= + +
=
=
=
l r

a r
a
Surface in x-y plan
Surface on sphere
d
d
x
y
z
dr
( )
( )
2 2 2
1
1
sin cos
sin sin
cos
cos /
tan /
x r
y r
z r
r x y z
z r
y x

=
=
=
= + +
=
=
Cylindrical Coordinates:
j i
j i r
r k
r k
k r
r k k r
k r k r A



cos sin

sin cos

cos

sin
+ =
+ =
=
=
=
= = =
+ = + =
z r
A A A A
r

x
y
z

i, j, k constant vectors
- not constant
r

,

A
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Polar angle; azimuthal angle
Much easier to work out in cylindrical coordinates, as z (k) is fixed
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r

x
y
z

k
cos
sin
x r
y r
z z

=
=
=

d dr rd dz
d rdrd dz
d rd dz

= + +
=
=
l r z
a r
Cylindrical Coordinates:
d
dz
dr