2.

3 CIRCULAR CYLINDRICAL COORDINATES (R, F, Z) 29

finding dot or cross product of two vectors in a cylindrical system is the same as that used
in the Cartesian system in Chapter 1.
Sometimes, it is necessary to transform points and vectors from one coordinate system
to another. The techniques for doing this will be presented and illustrated with examples.

2.2 CARTESIAN COORDINATES (X, Y, Z)

As mentioned in Chapter 1, a point P can be represented as (x, y, z) as illustrated in

Figure 1.1. The ranges of the coordinate variables x, y, and z are
-00 < X < 00

-00<-y<o> (2.1)

— 00 < I < 00

A vector A in Cartesian (otherwise known as rectangular) coordinates can be written as

(Ax,Ay,AJ or A A + Ayay + Azaz (2.2)
where ax, ay, and az are unit vectors along the x-, y-, and z-directions as shown in
Figure 1.1.

2.3 CIRCULAR CYLINDRICAL COORDINATES (p, cj>, z)

The circular cylindrical coordinate system is very convenient whenever we are dealing
with problems having cylindrical symmetry.
A point P in cylindrical coordinates is represented as (p, <j>, z) and is as shown in
Figure 2.1. Observe Figure 2.1 closely and note how we define each space variable: p is the
radius of the cylinder passing through P or the radial distance from the z-axis: <f>, called the

Figure 2.1 Point P and unit vectors in the cylindrical

coordinate system.
30 Coordinate Systems and Transformation

azimuthal angle, is measured from the x-axis in the xy-plane; and z is the same as in the
Cartesian system. The ranges of the variables are

0 < p < °°
0 < </> < 27T (2.3)
-00 < Z < 00

A vector A in cylindrical coordinates can be written as

(Ap, A^,, Az) or Apap (2.4)

where ap> a^, and az are unit vectors in the p-, <£-, and ^-directions as illustrated in
Figure 2.1. Note that a^ is not in degrees; it assumes the unit vector of A. For example, if a
force of 10 N acts on a particle in a circular motion, the force may be represented as
F = lOa^, N. In this case, a 0 is in newtons.
The magnitude of A is

= (Alp ,2x1/2 (2.5)

Notice that the unit vectors ap, a^, and az are mutually perpendicular because our co-
ordinate system is orthogonal; ap points in the direction of increasing p, a$ in the direction
of increasing 0, and az in the positive z-direction. Thus,

a^ = az • az = 1 (2.6a)
a = a7 • a = 0 (2.6b)
np X a<j> = a , (2.6c)
a^ X az = a, (2.6d)
a z X ap = a* (2.6e)

where eqs. (2.6c) to (2.6e) are obtained in cyclic permutation (see Figure 1.9).
The relationships between the variables (x, y, z) of the Cartesian coordinate system
and those of the cylindrical system (p, <j>, z) are easily obtained from Figure 2.2 as

cj) = tan" 1 -, z (2.7)

x

or

x = p cos 0 , y = p sin <(>, z = z (2.8)

Whereas eq. (2.7) is for transforming a point from Cartesian (x, y, z) to cylindrical (p, <$>, z)
coordinates, eq. (2.8) is for (p, 4>, z) —»(x, y, z) transformation.
 2.3 CIRCULAR CYLINDRICAL COORDINATES (p, 0, z) 11 31

Figure 2.2 Relationship between (x, y, z) and

(P, *. z).

The relationships between (a x , a y , a z ) and (a p , a^, a2) are obtained geometrically from
Figure 2.3:

= cos 0 a p - sin
(2.9)

or
a p = cos (j>ax + sin

= -sin cos (2.10)

= a7

(b)

Figure 2.3 Unit vector transformation: (a) cylindrical components of ax, (b) cylin-
drical components of a r
32 Coordinate Systems and Transformation

Finally, the relationships between (Ax, Ay, Az) and (Ap, A0, Az) are obtained by simply
substituting eq. (2.9) into eq. (2.2) and collecting terms. Thus
A = (Ax cos <j> + Ay sin <j>)ap + (~AX sin <j> + Ay cos 0 ) a 0 + Azaz (2.

or
Ap = Ax cos <t> + Ay sin <f>

A,/, = ~AX sin <f> + Ay cos tj> (2.12)

In matrix form, we have the transformation of vector A from (Ax,Ay,Az) to

(Ap, A0, A,) as

cos <>
/ sin 0 0 Ax
A, = — sin<j> cos 0 0 Ay (2.13)
Az 0 0 1 Az

The inverse of the transformation (Ap, A^, Az) —> (Ax, Ay, Az) is obtained as

Ax cos <t> sin $ 0

-sin^> cos ^ 0 (2.14)
0 0 1 A,

or directly from eqs. (2.4) and (2.10). Thus

cos </> — sin 4> 0 V

sin <j> cos <j> 0 (2.15)
0 0 1 A.
An alternative way of obtaining eq. (2.14) or (2.15) is using the dot product. For
example:

"A/ a^ap a^a0 *x • az A

Ay = aya0 • az A (2.16)
Az a z - ap aza0 az •az A

The derivation of this is left as an exercise.

2.4 SPHERICAL COORDINATES (r, 0, (/>)

The spherical coordinate system is most appropriate when dealing with problems having a
degree of spherical symmetry. A point P can be represented as (r, 6, 4>) and is illustrated in
Figure 2.4. From Figure 2.4, we notice that r is defined as the distance from the origin to
 2.4 SPHERICAL COORDINATES (r, e, 33

point P or the radius of a sphere centered at the origin and passing through P; 6 (called the
colatitude) is the angle between the z-axis and the position vector of P; and 4> is measured
from the x-axis (the same azimuthal angle in cylindrical coordinates). According to these
definitions, the ranges of the variables are

O<0<ir (2.17)
0 < <f> < 2TT
A vector A in spherical coordinates may be written as
(Ar,Ae,A^) or A&r + Agae + A^ (2.18)
where an ae, and 3A are unit vectors along the r-, B-, and ^-directions. The magnitude of A is
|A| = (A2r +A2e+ Aj)112 (2.19)

The unit vectors a n a^, and a^ are mutually orthogonal; a r being directed along the
radius or in the direction of increasing r, ae in the direction of increasing 6, and a 0 in the di-
rection of increasing <f>. Thus,

a r • a r = ae •
ar • ae = ae •; ar = 0
ar x ae = a^ (2.20)

ae X a^, = ar
a 0 X ar = a9

Figure 2.4 Point P and unit vectors in spherical coordinates.

34 • Coordinate Systems and Transformation

The space variables (x, y, z) in Cartesian coordinates can be related to variables

(r, 0, <p) of a spherical coordinate system. From Figure 2.5 it is easy to notice that

= Vx 2,-/- HZ 2 , 0 = tan '

z
(2.21)

or
x = r sin 0 cos 0, y = r sin 0 sin </>, z = r cos I (2.22)

In eq. (2.21), we have (x, y, z) —> (r, 0, #) point transformation and in eq. (2.22), it is
(r, 6, 4>) —»(x, y, z) point transformation.
The unit vectors ax, ay, a2 and a r , a e , a^ are related as follows:

ax = sin 0 cos 4> a r + cos 0 cos <£ a s - sin

83, = sin 6 sin <£ a r + cos 6 sin 0 a e + cos <j (2.23)
a z = cos 6 ar — sin 0 a s

or
cos
a r = sin 0 cos 0 a* + sin d sin <£ a y +

a^ = cos 0 cos <t> ax + cos 0 sin </> ay — sin (2.24)

= —sin cos </> a y

Figure 2.5 Relationships between space variables (x, y, z), (r, 6,

and (p, <t>, z).
 2.4 SPHERICAL COORDINATES (r, e, <t>) 35

The components of vector A = (Ax, Ay, Az) and A = (Ar, Ae, A^) are related by substitut-
ing eq. (2.23) into eq. (2.2) and collecting terms. Thus,

A = (Ax sin 0 cos 4> + Ay sin 0 sin 0 + Az cos 0)ar + (Ax cos 0 cos 0
(2.25)
+ Ay cos 0 sin 0 — Az sin d)ae + {—Ax sin 0 + Ay cos <A)a^,

and from this, we obtain

Ar = A^ sin 0 cos <t> + Ay sin 0 sin <j> + Az cos 0

Ae = Ax cos 0 cos 4> + Ay cos 0 sin <f> — Az sin (2.26)
A^ = — A* sin </> + Ay cos 0

In matrix form, the (Ax, Ay, Az) -> (Ar, Ae, A$) vector transformation is performed accord-
ing to

A.
=
sin 6 cos 0
—cos 0 cos 0
— sin 0
sin 0 sin 0 cos 0
cos 0 sin </> — sin 0
cos 4> 0
X (2.27)

The inverse transformation (An Ae, A^) —> (Ax, Ay, Az) is similarly obtained, or we obtain it
from eq. (2.23). Thus,

\AX~ sin 0 COS 0 cos 0 cos </> — sin T) Ar

Av = sin 0 sin 0 cos 0 sin 0 cos As (2.28)
cos 0 -sin0 0_

Alternatively, we may obtain eqs. (2.27) and (2.28) using the dot product. For example,

Ar a r • ax a r • ay ar • az
(2.29)

For the sake of completeness, it may be instructive to obtain the point or vector trans-
formation relationships between cylindrical and spherical coordinates using Figures 2.5
and 2.6 (where <f> is held constant since it is common to both systems). This will be left as
an exercise (see Problem 2.9). Note that in point or vector transformation the point or
vector has not changed; it is only expressed differently. Thus, for example, the magnitude
of a vector will remain the same after the transformation and this may serve as a way of
checking the result of the transformation.
The distance between two points is usually necessary in EM theory. The distance d
between two points with position vectors rl and r 2 is generally given by

d=\r2- (2.30)