Dr. M. M.

Abdel Aziz

Chapter 1

Vector Analysis

1.1 Definitions

Scalar quantities:
The scalar quantity has only magnitude such as: temperature, time, volume, distance. …

Vectors:
A vector is a quantity that has magnitude and direction such as
velocity, force, displacement, electric field, …
F  F aF
F magnitude of the vector F
a F Unit vector in direction of the vector F

Unit vector :
Is a vector of magnitude equal to unity and is defined by:
F
aˆ F 
F
Example:
  
F  2x  5 y  6z
F
aˆ F  , F  (2) 2  (5) 2  (6) 2  4  25  36  65
F
2  5  6 
aˆ F  x y z
65 65 65

1.2 Vector addition and subtraction

Graphically: The sum of two vectors A and B is a vector C that begins at the start
of A and ends at the arrow of vector B .

C  A B
B
A

D  A B B

-1 -
 Dr. M. M. Abdel Aziz

If we express A and B in components as

  
A  Ax x  Ay y  Az z
  
B  Bx x  B y y  Bz z
  
A  B  ( Ax  B x ) x  ( Ay  B y ) y  ( Az  B z ) z  C
  
A  B  ( Ax  B x ) x  ( Ay  B y ) y  ( Az  B z ) z  D
  
C ( Ax  B x ) x  ( A y  B y ) y  ( Az  B z ) z
aˆ C  
C ( Ax  B x ) 2  ( A y  B y ) 2  ( Az  B z ) 2

Position vector:
It is defined as the directed distance from the origin to a coordinate point in space.
  
A  xx y y zz
Given P = (2 ,4 , 3 )  RP  2 x  4 y  3 z
z

(x,y,z)

A
z
(0,0,0)
y
x
A
y
x
Distance vector:
It is defined as the directed distance between two coordinate points in space.

  
A  ( x2  x1 ) x  ( y 2  y1 ) y  ( z 2  z1 ) z z
  
A ( x2  x1 ) x  ( y 2  y1 ) y  ( z 2  z1 ) z
aˆ A   Q
A ( x2  x1 ) 2  ( y 2  y1 ) 2  ( z 2  z1 ) 2 A (x2,y2,z2)
P
(x1,y1,z1)
y
1.3 Vector multiplication
a- A scalar times a vector:
x
If we multiply a vector A by a scalar quantity m,
     
A  Ax x  Ay y  Az z  m A  mAx x  mAy y  mAz z

b- Dot product: B

A  B  A  B  cos 

Where: θ is the smallest angle between A and B A

-2 -
 Dr. M. M. Abdel Aziz

 
 A B 
  cos 1 
 A  B 
 
If A and B are perpendicular , A  B  0

Example 1:
     
A  2 x  3 y  10 z , and B  3x  5 y  3z
Find the angle between A and B

Solution:
A  B  6  15  30  51
A  2 2  3 2  10 2  13

B  32  52  32  43
 51 
  cos 1  
 113 43 
= 43º

c- Cross product (vector product):


A  B  A  B sin  aˆ n  A B

an is a unit vector normal to the plane of A and B

Where θ is the smallest angle between A and B B
 A B 
1  
  sin  
 A  B  A
 

Properties :
1. A  B   B  A
2. A  ( B  C )  A  B  A  C
3. Cross product of unit vectors x, y , and z
        
x  y  z , z  x  y, y z  x
     
xx  y y  z z  0
  
x y z
  
A  B  Ax Ay Az  x ( Ay B z  Az B y )  y ( Ax B z  Az B x )  z ( Ax B y  Ay B x )
Bx B y Bz
Example 2:
    
Find the angle β between A  4 x  2 y  3z , and B  3x  4 y

Solution

̅ ̅ = [-2×0 – (-3)×(-4)] ̅ – [4 ×0 - (-3) × 3] ̅ + [ 4 × -4 – ( -2) × (-3) ] ̅

= -12 ̅ – 9 ̅ – 10 ̅

-3 -
 Dr. M. M. Abdel Aziz

| A × B| = √[ (12 )2 + (9)2 + ( 10)2] = 18

|A| = √ [ 42 + 22 + 32] = 29
|B| =√ [ 32 + 42] = 5
β = sin-1( 18/ (5 × 29) ) = 42º

1.4 Coordinate Systems

a- Rectangular or Cartesian Coordinates (x, y, z):

The differential length vector:

  
dl  dx x  dy y  dz z z

d S1  (dx  dy ) z

d S 2  (dy  dz ) x

d S 3  (dx  dz ) y
dv  dx  dy  dz dS 3 Q
   
x  x 1 x  x  zero dl
y
    
x  y  zero x y  z dx
P dz dS 2
    
x  z  zero x z  y

   dy
If A  Ax x  Ay y  Az z , x dS 1
  
and B  Bx x  B y y  Bz z
Then
  
AB  ( Bx  Ax ) x  ( B y  Ay ) y  ( Bz  Az ) z

b- Cylindrical Coordinates (rc , φ , z):

z
In this system, a point in space is uniquely defined by
(rc,  , z)
three variables (rc , φ , z) as shown, where
rc > 0, 0 < φ < 2π, and -∞ < z < ∞

The differential length is, Fig. 5 z

d l  drc rˆc  rc d ˆ  dz zˆ
y
The differential surfaces and differential volume are  ẑ ˆ
dS1  rc d dz rˆc rc
dS s  drc dz ˆ r̂c
dS 3  rc drc d zˆ x
dv  drc  rc d  dz

The cylindrical coordinates are related to the cartisian by the following relations

-4 -
 Dr. M. M. Abdel Aziz

rc  x 2  y 2
y
  tan 1
x
zz

x  rc cos 
The inverse relations are: y  rc sin 
zz
z

dS3

dS2 dz
dl
P dS1

dl
y

d
drc
rcd

x Fig.5

Example 3:

Find the vector directed from the point:

1- P car(5,10,3) to Qcar(8, 6, 10)

2- Bcy(5, 30o,10) to Hcy(6, 60o,20)

Solution:

PQ  ( 8  5 ) xˆ  ( 6  10 ) yˆ  ( 10  3 )zˆ
1-
 3xˆ  4 yˆ  7 zˆ
5 3
x1  rc cos   5  cos 30 
2
2- Point B: y1  rc sin 30  5  sin 30  2.5
z1  10
Point H:

-5 -
 Dr. M. M. Abdel Aziz

1
x 2  rc cos 60  6  3
2
6 3
y 2  6  sin 60  3 3
2
z 2  20

 BH   3 
5 3
 
 xˆ  3 3  2.5 yˆ  20  10 zˆ
2 

 BH  1.3xˆ  2.7 yˆ  10 zˆ

c- Spherical Coordinates (rs , θ , φ):

In this system, a point in space is uniquely defined by three
variables rs , θ , and φ as shown, where
rs > 0, 0 < θ < π , and 0 < φ < 2π,
The differential length is z
d l  drs rˆs  rs d ˆ  rs sin  d ˆ
The differential surface (outer ) is P(rs , ,)
90-
rs
dA  rs d  rs sin  d 

 rs2 sin  d d 90- y

The differential volume is
 rc
x
dV  rs d  rs sin  d  drs
 rs2 sin  drs d d

A= rs 2 sinθ dθ dφ

rs dθ

rs sinθ dφ
rs
θ

dθ

dφ
φ

rs sinθ dφ

-6 -
 Dr. M. M. Abdel Aziz

The relationship between spherical and cartisian coordinates are found as follows:
rs2  x 2  y 2  z 2
z
cos  
x2  y2  z2
y
tan  
x
The inverse relations are:
x  rc cos   rs sin  cos 
y  rc sin   rs sin  sin 
z  rs cos 
Unit vectors multiplication:
z
r̂s 
90-
90-
y r̂c
 
rs ˆ
rc z
ŷ ẑ  r̂s
90-
 x 90-
ŷ y
r̂c x̂
x x̂  r̂ ẑ
ˆ
c r
x c
x
x
xˆ  rˆc  cos    yˆ  cos 
rˆs  rc  cos(90   )  sin
yˆ  rc  sin  rˆc  ˆ  0
rˆ  ˆ  cos
c

1.5 Vector transformation

Any vector A is written in the 3 coordinates systems as follows:

A  Ax xˆ  Ay yˆ  Az zˆ  cartisian
A  Arc rˆc  A ˆ  Az z  cylindrica l
A  Ars rˆs  A ˆ  A ˆ  spherical
To get any component, we multiply the vector by the unit vector in the direction of
the required component:

A  xˆ  Ax
A  ˆ  A 
Very important note: The vector components can be easily obtained as follows:

-7 -
 Dr. M. M. Abdel Aziz

Ax  A  xˆ, Ay  A  yˆ , Az  A  zˆ, Arc  A  rˆc

A  A ˆ , Az  A  zˆ , Ars  A  rˆs , A  A.ˆ

a- Spherical to Cartesian:
rˆs  xˆ  sin  cos  , ˆ  xˆ  cos  cos  , ˆ  xˆ   sin 
rˆ  yˆ  sin  sin  , ˆ  yˆ  cos   sin  , ˆ  yˆ  cos 
s
rˆs  zˆ  cos  , ˆ  zˆ   sin  , ˆ  zˆ  zero

b- Cylindrical to Cartesian:


rˆc  xˆ  cos  ,   xˆ   sin  , zˆ  xˆ  zero

rˆc  yˆ  sin  ,   yˆ  cos  , zˆ  yˆ  zero

rˆc  zˆ  zero ,   zˆ  zero , zˆ  zˆ  1

c- Spherical to Cylindrical:

rˆs  rˆc  sin  , ˆ  rˆc  cos  , ˆ  rˆc  zero

rˆ  ˆ  zero,ˆ  ˆ  zero, ˆ  ˆ  1
s
rˆs  zˆ  cos  ,ˆ  zˆ   sin  , ˆ  zˆ  zero

Steps for transformation of a vector from certain coordinate system to another

1- Write the vector expression in the new coordinate system (general

expression).
2- Evaluate the scalar projections into unit vector directions in the new vector
directions.
3- Change the variables from old to new coordinate system.

Example 4:

Transform the vector A  x 2 y xˆ  y 2 z yˆ  x 2 z zˆ into cylindrical coordinate.

Solution:
  
A  Arc rc  A   Az z
    
Arc  A  rc  ( x 2 yx  y 2 zy  x 2 zz )  rc
Arc  x 2 y cos   y 2 z sin   0

-8 -
 Dr. M. M. Abdel Aziz


A  A     x 2 sin   y 2 z cos   0
Az  A  zˆ  0  0  x 2 z
  
A  ( x 2 y cos   y 2 z sin  )rc  ( x 2 y sin   y 2 z cos  )  ( x 2 z ) z

put : x  rc cos  , y  rc sin 

, zz
  
 A  (r cos  sin   rc sin  ) rc  (rc3 cos 2  sin 2   rc2 sin 2  cos  )   (rc2 cos 2   z ) z
c
3 3 3

Example 5:

Transform the vector A  rc rˆc  cos  ˆ into:

1- Cartesian
2- Spherical

Solution:

1- Into Cartesian:
A  Ax xˆ  Ay yˆ  Az zˆ
Ax  A  xˆ  (rc rˆc  cos  ˆ)  xˆ  rc cos   cos  sin 
A  A  yˆ  (r rˆ  cos ˆ)  yˆ  r sin   cos 2 
y c c c

Az  A  zˆ  0
A  (rc cos   sin  cos  ) xˆ  (rc sin   cos 2  ) yˆ
 xy   x2 
A   x  2  xˆ   y  2  yˆ  0 zˆ
 x  y2   x  y2 

x y
Note: cos   , sin  
rc rc
xy xy
 sin  cos   2  2
rc x  y2
2- Into spherical:
A  Ars rˆs  A ˆ  A ˆ
Ars  A  rˆs  (rc rˆc  cos  ˆ). rˆs  rc sin 
A  A  ˆ  (rc rˆc  cos  ˆ).ˆ  rc cos 
A  A  ˆ  (rc rˆc  cos  ˆ).ˆ  cos 
 A  (r sin  ) rˆ  r cos  ˆ  cos  ˆ
c s c

 rs sin  rˆs  rs sin  cos  ˆ  cos  ˆ

2

x
Note:  rs sin 
cos 

-9 -
 Dr. M. M. Abdel Aziz

x  rs cos  sin 
y  rs sin  sin 
z  rs cos 

Note:
Let the coordinate system be (uˆ1 , uˆ 2 , uˆ 3 ) and d l  h1 du1 uˆ1  h2 du 2 uˆ 2  h3 du 3 uˆ 3 :

d l  dx xˆ  dy yˆ  dz zˆ  cartisian
d l  dr rˆ  r d ˆ  dz zˆ  cylindrica l
c c c

d l  drs rˆs  rs d ˆ  rs sin  d ˆ  spherical

cartisian : h1  h2  h3  1
cylindrica l : h1  1, h2  rc , h3  1
spherical : h1  1, h2  rs , h3  rs sin 
1 V 1 V 1 V
i- Grad operated on scalar : V  uˆ1  uˆ 2  uˆ 3
h1 u1 h2 u 2 h3 u 3
ii-
1   
Div operated on vector :   A  [ [h2 h3 Au1 ]  [h1 h3 Au 2  (h1 h2 Au 3 )]
h1 h2 h3 u1 u 2 u 3

if : A  Au1uˆ1  Au 2 uˆ 2  Au 3 uˆ 3
h1uˆ1 h2uˆ2 h3uˆ3
1   
iii- Curl A    A 
h1h2 h3 u1 u2 u3
h1 Au1 h2 Au2 h3 Au3
Example 6:

Let D  5rc rˆc  10 sin  ˆ  20 z zˆ

Find   D ,   D
Solution:
1    
  D   (5rc2 )  (10 sin  )  (20rc z )
rc  rc  z 
1
  D  [10rc  0  20rc ]  30
rc
rˆc rcˆ zˆ
1   
 D 
rc rc  z
5rc 10rc sin  20 z
     
  (20 z )   (10rc sin  ) rˆc  rc   (20 z )   (5rc ) ˆ 
1    z   rc z  
 D   
rc      
  (10rc sin  )  (5rc ) zˆ 
  rc   

- 10 -
 Dr. M. M. Abdel Aziz

xˆ.rˆc  cos  , yˆ.rˆc  sin  , zˆ.rˆc  zero

xˆ.ˆ   cos(90   )   sin  , yˆ.ˆ  cos  , zˆ.ˆ  zero
xˆ.zˆ  zero , yˆ.zˆ  zero , zˆ.zˆ  1

- 11 -