Vector calculus

and
different coordinate systems
UNIT I-INTRODUCTION
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Objective
Broadly, the study of Physics improves ones ability to
think logically about the problems of science and
technology and obtain their solutions. The present course
is aimed to offer a broad aspect of those areas of Physics
which are specifically required as an essential background
to all engineering students for their studies in higher
semesters.
Learning outcomes
At the end of the course, the students will have sufficient
scientific understanding of electromagnetic fields and
waves.
Three-Dimensional
Coordinate Systems
In this section, we will learn about:
Aspects of three-dimensional coordinate systems.
VECTORS AND THE GEOMETRY OF SPACE
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COORDINATE SYSTEMS
RECTANGULAR or Cartesian
CYLINDRICAL
SPHERICAL
Choice is based on
symmetry of problem
Examples:
Sheets - RECTANGULAR
Wires/Cables - CYLINDRICAL
Spheres - SPHERICAL
To understand the Electromagnetics, we must know basic vector algebra and
coordinate systems. So let us start the coordinate systems.
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Cylindrical Symmetry Spherical Symmetry
Visualization (Animation)
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Orthogonal Coordinate Systems:
3. Spherical Coordinates
2. Cylindrical Coordinates
1. Cartesian Coordinates
P (x, y, z)
P (r, , )
P (r, , z)
x
y
z
P(x,y,z)

z
r
x
y
z
P(r, , z)


r
z
y
x
P(r, , )
Rectangular Coordinates
Or
X=r cos ,
Y=r sin ,
Z=z
X=r sin cos ,
Y=r sin sin ,
Z=z cos S.Krishnaveni AP/EEE 6
Cartesian Coordinates
P(x, y, z)
Spherical Coordinates
P(r, , )
Cylindrical Coordinates
P(r, , z)
x
y
z
P(x,y,z)

z
r
x
y
z
P(r, , z)


r
z
y
x
P(r, , )
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The three lines are called the coordinate
axes.
They are labeled:

x-axis
y-axis
z-axis
COORDINATE AXES
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Curl the fingers of your right hand
around the z-axis in the direction of a 90 counterclockwise rotation
from the positive
x-axis to the positive y-axis.

Then, your thumb
points in the positive
direction of the z-axis.
COORDINATE AXES
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The three coordinate axes determine
the three coordinate planes.

The xy-plane contains
the x- and y-axes.
The yz-plane contains
the y- and z-axes.
The xz-plane contains
the x- and z-axes.
COORDINATE PLANES
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Look at any bottom corner of a room and call the corner the
origin.
3-D COORDINATE SYSTEMS
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The wall on your left is in the xz-plane.
The wall on your right is in the yz-plane.
The floor is in the xy-plane.
3-D COORDINATE SYSTEMS
The x-axis runs along the intersection of the floor and the left wall.
The y-axis runs along that of the floor and the right wall.
The z-axis runs up from the floor toward the ceiling along the intersection of the two
walls.

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Now, if P is any point in space,
let:

a be the (directed) distance from the yz-plane to P.

b be the distance from the xz-plane to P.

c be the distance from the xy-plane to P.
3-D COORDINATE
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We represent the point P by the ordered
triple of real numbers (a, b, c).

We call a, b, and c the coordinates of P.

a is the x-coordinate.
b is the y-coordinate.
c is the z-coordinate.
3-D COORDINATE SYSTEMS
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Thus, to locate the point (a, b, c), we can start at the origin O and proceed
as follows:

First, move a units along the x-axis.

Then, move b units
parallel to the y-axis.

Finally, move c units
parallel to the z-axis.
3-D COORDINATE SYSTEMS
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The point P(a, b, c) determines a rectangular box.
If we drop a perpendicular from P to the xy-plane, we get a point Q with
coordinates (a, b, 0).
This is called
the projection of P
on the xy-plane.

Similarly, R(0, b, c) and S(a, 0, c)
are the projections of P on the
yz-plane and xz-plane, respectively.
3-D COORDINATE S
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As numerical illustrations, the points
(4, 3, 5) and (3, 2, 6) are plotted here.
3-D COORDINATE SYSTEMS
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we construct a rectangular box as shown,
where:

P
1
and P
2
are
opposite vertices.

The faces of the box
are parallel to the
coordinate planes.
3-D COORDINATE SYSTEMS
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If A(x
2
, y
1
, z
1
) and B(x
2
, y
2
, z
1
) are the vertices of the box, then

|P
1
A| = |x
2
x
1
|, |AB| = |y
2
y
1
|, |BP
2
| = |z
2
z
1
|
3-D COORDINATE SYSTEMS
Combining those equations, we get:

|P
1
P
2
|
2
= |P
1
A|
2
+ |AB|
2
+ |BP
2
|
2


= |x
2
x
1
|
2
+ |y
2
y
1
|
2
+ |z
2
z
1
|
2
= (x
2
x
1
)
2
+ (y
2
y
1
)
2
+ (z
2
z
1
)
2

2 2 2
1 2 2 1 2 1 2 1
( ) ( ) ( ) PP x x y y z z = + +
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Cartesian coordinate system
dx, dy, dz are infinitesimal
displacements along X,Y,Z.
Volume element is given by
dv = dx dy dz
Area element is
da = dx dy or dy dz or dxdz
Line element is
dx or dy or dz
Ex: Show that volume of a cube
of edge a is a
3.

P(x,y,z)
X
Y
Z
3
0 0 0
a dz dy dx dv V
a a
v
a
= = =
} } } }
dx
dy
dz
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Cartesian Coordinates
Differential quantities:

Length:


Area:






Volume:
dz z dy y dx x l d
+ + =

dxdy z s d
dxdz y s d
dydz x s d
z
y
x

=
=
=

dxdydz dv =
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AREA INTEGRALS
integration over 2 delta distances
dx
dy
Example:
x
y
2
6
3 7
AREA =
} }
7
3
6
2
dx dy
= 16
Note that: z =constant







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Cylindrical coordinate system
(r,,z)
X
Y
Z
r

Z
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Spherical polar coordinate system
dr is infinitesimal displacement
along r, r d is along and
dz is along z direction.
Volume element is given by
dv = dr r d dz
Limits of integration of r, ,
are
0<r< , 0<z < , o< <2
is azimuth angle
Cylindrical coordinate system
(r,,z)
X
Y
Z
r

r d
dz
dr
r d
dr
d
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Volume of a Cylinder of radius R
and Height H
H R
dz d rdr
dz d dr r dv V
R H
v
2
0
2
0 0
t

t
=
=
= =
} } }
} }
Try yourself:
1) Surface Area of Cylinder = 2RH .
2) Base Area of Cylinder (Disc)=R
2
.
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Differential quantities:

Length element:


Area element:






Volume element:
dz a rd a dr a l d
z r
+ u + =
|

|
|
| |
rdrd a s d
drdz a s d
dz rd a s d
z z
r r

=
=
=

dz d dr r dv | =
Limits of integration of r, , are 0<r< , 0<z < , o< <2
Cylindrical Coordinates: Visualization of Volume element
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Spherically Symmetric problem
(r,,)
X
Y
Z
r


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Spherical polar coordinate system (r,,)
dr is infinitesimal
displacement along r, r d is
along and r sin d is
along direction.
Volume element is given by
dv = dr r d r sin d
Limits of integration of r, ,
are
0<r< , 0< < , o< <2
P(r, , )
X
Y
Z
r


dr
P
r d
r sin d
is zenith angle( starts from +Z reaches up to Z) ,
is azimuth angle (starts from +X direction and lies in x-y plane only)
r cos
r sin
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Volume of a sphere of radius R
3
3
0 0
2
0
2
2
3
4
2 . 2 .
3
sin
sin
R
R
d d dr r
d d dr r dv V
R
v
t t
u u
u u
t t
= =
=
= =
} } }
} }
Try Yourself:
1)Surface area of the sphere= 4R
2
.
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Spherical Coordinates: Volume element in space
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Points to remember
System Coordinates dl
1
dl
2
dl
3
Cartesian x,y,z dx dy dz
Cylindrical r, ,z dr rd dz
Spherical r,, dr rd r sind


Volume element : dv = dl
1
dl
2
dl
3
If Volume charge density depends only on r:




Ex: For Circular plate: NOTE
Area element da=r dr d in both the
coordinate systems (because =90
0
)


dr r dv Q
v l
} }
= =
2
4t
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Quiz: Determine
a) Areas S1, S2 and S3.
b) Volume covered by these surfaces.
Radius is r,
Height is h,
X
Y
Z
r
d
S1
S2
S3
2 1
| | | s s
h
r
dz rd dr V b
r
rd dr S iii
rh dz dr S ii
rh dz rd S i a
Solution
h r
r
r h
h
) (
2
. . )
) (
2
. 3 )
2 )
) ( 1 ) )
:
1 2
2
0 0
1 2
2
0
0 0
1 2
0
2
1
2
1
2
1
| | |
| | |
| | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
= =
= =
= =
= =
} } }
} }
} }
} }
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Coordinate Transformation
Cylindrical coordinateCartesian coordinate
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Coordinate Transformation
Change of variables
Cylindrical coordinateCartesian coordinate
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Coordinate Transformation
Change of variables
Spherical coordinateCartesian coordinate
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Coordinate Transformation
Spherical coordinateCartesian coordinate
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Metric Coefficients
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Basic Orthogonal Coordinate Systems
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Vector Analysis
What about A.B=?, AxB=? and AB=?
Scalar and Vector product:
A.B=ABcos Scalar or
(A
x
i+A
y
j+A
z
k).(B
x
i+B
y
j+B
z
k)=A
x
B
x
+A
y
B
y
+A
z
B
z

AxB=ABSin n Vector
(Result of cross product is always
perpendicular(normal) to the plane
of A and B
A
B
n
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+An orthogonal system is one in which te coordinates are
mutually perpendicular.
+Examples of orthogonal coordinate systems include the
Cartesian, cylindrical and spherical coordinates.
+There must be three independent variables. e.g: u
1
, u
2

and u
3.
+ , and are unit vectors for each surface and the
direction normal to their surfaces.
ORTHOGONAL COORDINATE SYSTEM
1
u
2
u
3
u
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+ The cross product between the unit vector is:


+ While the dot product is:





2

,
1

,
3

u u u u u u u u u = = =
1
3

0
1

= = =
= = =
u u u u u u
u u u u u u
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Vector Addition and
Subtraction
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Product of Vector

Multiplication by a scalar
Dot (scalar) product
Cross (vector)
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Product of Vector
Multiplication by a scalar
Dot (scalar) product
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Product of Vector
Cross (vector) product
A new product perpendicular to the plane containing the
two Vectors.

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Gradient, Divergence and Curl

Gradient of a scalar function is a
vector quantity.
Divergence of a vector is a scalar
quantity.
Curl of a vector is a vector
quantity.


f V
Vector
xA
A
V
V.
The Del Operator
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Gradient:
gradT: points the direction of maximum increase of the
function T.

Divergence:

Curl:
Operator in Cartesian Coordinate System
k
z
T
j
y
T
i
x
T
T


c
c
+
c
c
+
c
c
= V
y
z x
V
V V
V
x y z
c
c c
V = + +
c c c
k
y
V
x
V
j
x
V
z
V
i
z
V
y
V
V
x
y
z x
y
z

|
|
.
|

\
|
c
c

c
c
+
|
.
|

\
|
c
c

c
c
+
|
|
.
|

\
|
c
c

c
c
= V

k V j V i V V
z y x

+ + =
where
as
Fundamental theorem for
divergence and curl
Gauss divergence
theorem:




Stokes curl theorem

} }
= V
v s
da V dv V . ) . (
} }
= V
s l
dl V da V x . ). (
Conversion of volume integral to surface integral and vice verse.
Conversion of surface integral to line integral and vice verse.
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Operator in Cylindrical Coordinate System

Volume Element:


Gradient:



Divergence:




Curl:
dz rdrd dv | =
z
z
T

T
r
r

r
T
T
c
c
+
c
c
+
c
c
= V |
|
1
( )
1 1
z
r
V
V
V rV
r r r z

c
c c
V = + +
c c c
( ) z
V
rV
r r

r
V
z
V
r
z
V
V
r
V
r z r z
|
|
.
|

\
|
| c
c

c
c
+ |
|
.
|

\
|
c
c

c
c
+
|
|
.
|

\
|
c
c

| c
c
= V
|
|
1 1

z V V r V V
z r

+ + = |
|
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Operator In Spherical Coordinate System

Gradient :



Divergence:



Curl:
|
| u
u
u

T
sin r

T
r
r

r
T
T
c
c
+
c
c
+
c
c
= V
1 1
( ) ( )
2
2
sin
1 1 1
sin sin
r
r V
V V
V
r r r r
u
u
u u u
c
c c
V = + +
c c c
( ) ( )
( ) |
u
u
| u |
u
u u
u
|
u
|

V
rV
r r

rV
r
V
sin r
r

V
V sin
sin r
V
r
r
|
|
.
|

\
|
c
c

c
c
+
|
|
.
|

\
|
c
c

c
c
+
|
|
.
|

\
|
c
c

c
c
= V
1
1 1 1

| u
| u

V V r V V
r
+ + =
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The divergence theorem states that the total outward flux of a
vector field F through the closed surface S is the same as the
volume integral of the divergence of F.
Closed surface S, volume V,
outward pointing normal

Basic Vector Calculus
2
( )
0, 0
( ) ( )
F G G F F G
F
F F F
|
V = V V
VV = V V =
V V = V V V
Divergence or Gauss Theorem
( )
}} }}}
= V
S V
S d F dV F

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dS n S d

=
Oriented boundary L
n

Stokes Theorem
( )
}} }
= V
S L
l d F S d F

Stokess theorem states that the circulation of a vector field F around a
closed path L is equal to the surface integral of the curl of F over the
open surface S bounded by L
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+ The following operations involving V operator :
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