Lecture 2 Cylindrical and Spherical Coordinates
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Coordinate Systems and
Transformations
ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS & WAVES
ELEC 2101
Ajlaa Omar
FETI/EE
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Introduction
A point or vector can be represented in any curvilinear
coordinate system, which may be orthogonal or non-
orthogonal
Orthogonal system: the coordinates are mutually
perpendicular.
Three best-known coordinate systems:
1. Cartesian
2. Circular cylindrical
3. Spherical
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1) Cartesian Coordinates (x, y, z)
A point P can be represented as (x, y, z).
The ranges of the coordinate variables x, y and z are
−∞ < 𝑥 < ∞
−∞ < 𝑦 < ∞
−∞ < 𝑧 < ∞
A vector A in Cartesian (also known as rectangular)
coordinates can be written as
(𝐴𝑥 , 𝐴𝑦 , 𝐴𝑧 ) or 𝐴𝑥 𝑎𝑥 + 𝐴𝑦 𝑎𝑦 + 𝐴𝑧 𝑎𝑧
where 𝑎𝑥 , 𝑎𝑦 , 𝑎𝑧 are unit vectors in the x, y, z directions respectively.
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2) Circular Cylindrical Coordinates (ρ,∅, z)
In cylindrical coordinates a point P can be represented as
(ρ,∅, z).
Note:
ρ – radius of the cylinder passing
through P
Ø – angle measured from x-axis
from the xy plane
Z - direction
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2) Circular Cylindrical Coordinates (ρ,∅, z)
A vector 𝐴Ԧ in cylindrical coordinates can be written as
(𝐴ρ , 𝐴Ø , 𝐴𝑧 ) or 𝐴ρ 𝑎ρ + 𝐴Ø 𝑎Ø + 𝐴𝑧 𝑎𝑧
where 𝑎ρ , 𝑎∅ , 𝑎𝑧 are unit vectors in the ρ,∅ and z directions
respectively.
The magnitude of 𝐴Ԧ is,
2 2 2
𝐴Ԧ = 𝐴ρ + 𝐴Ø + 𝐴𝑧
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2) Circular Cylindrical Coordinates (ρ,∅, z)
𝑎ρ . 𝑎ρ = 𝑎Ø . 𝑎Ø = 𝑎𝑧 . 𝑎𝑧 = 1
𝑎ρ . 𝑎Ø = 𝑎Ø . 𝑎𝑧 = 𝑎𝑧 . 𝑎ρ = 0
𝑎ρ × 𝑎Ø = 𝑎𝑧
𝑎Ø × 𝑎𝑧 = 𝑎ρ
𝑎𝑧 × 𝑎ρ = 𝑎Ø
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Relationship between Cartesian
coordinates and Cylindrical coordinates:-
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Relationship between Cartesian
coordinates and Cylindrical coordinates:-
Cartesian to Cylindrical Cylindrical to Cartesian
(x, y, z) to (ρ,∅, z) (ρ,∅, z) to (x, y, z)
𝑥 = 𝜌 cos ∅
𝜌= 𝑥2 + 𝑦2 𝑦 = 𝜌 sin ∅
−1
𝑦 𝑧=𝑧
∅ = tan
𝑥
𝑧=𝑧
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Relationship between Cartesian
coordinates and Cylindrical coordinates:-
Dot products of unit vectors in cylindrical and Cartesian
coordinate systems (shown in below table)
𝑎ρ 𝑎Ø 𝑎𝑧
𝑎𝑥 cos ∅ - sin ∅ 0
𝑎𝑦 sin ∅ cos ∅ 0
𝑎𝑧 0 0 1
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In matrix form,
From (𝐴𝑥 , 𝐴𝑦 , 𝐴𝑧 ) to (𝐴ρ , 𝐴Ø , 𝐴𝑧 )
𝐴ρ cos ∅ sin ∅ 0 𝐴𝑥
𝐴Ø = − sin ∅ cos ∅ 0 𝐴𝑦
𝐴𝑧 0 0 1 𝐴𝑧
From (𝐴ρ , 𝐴Ø , 𝐴𝑧 ) to (𝐴𝑥 , 𝐴𝑦 , 𝐴𝑧 )
𝐴𝑥 cos ∅ − sin ∅ 0 𝐴ρ
𝐴𝑦 = sin ∅ cos ∅ 0 𝐴Ø
𝐴𝑧 0 0 1 𝐴𝑧
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3) Spherical Coordinates (r, 𝜃, ∅)
Note:
r : distance from the
origin to point P or
radius of the sphere
𝜃: angle between the z-
axis and the position
vector P
∅: measured from the
x-axis
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3) Spherical Coordinates (r, 𝜃, ∅)
A vector 𝐴Ԧ in spherical coordinates may be written as
(𝐴𝑟 , 𝐴𝜃 , 𝐴∅ ) or 𝐴Ԧ = 𝐴𝑟 𝑎𝑟 + 𝐴𝜃 𝑎𝜃 + 𝐴∅ 𝑎∅
where 𝑎𝑟 , 𝑎𝜃 and 𝑎∅ are unit vectors along the r, 𝜃, ∅ directions.
The magnitude of 𝐴Ԧ is,
2 2 2
𝐴Ԧ = 𝐴𝑟 + 𝐴𝜃 + 𝐴Ø
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3) Spherical Coordinates (r, 𝜃, ∅)
𝑎𝑟 . 𝑎𝑟 = 𝑎Ø . 𝑎Ø = 𝑎𝜃 . 𝑎𝜃 = 1
𝑎𝑟 . 𝑎Ø = 𝑎Ø . 𝑎𝜃 = 𝑎𝜃 . 𝑎𝑟 = 0
𝑎𝑟 × 𝑎Ø = 𝑎𝜃
𝑎Ø × 𝑎𝜃 = 𝑎𝑟
𝑎𝜃 × 𝑎𝑟 = 𝑎Ø
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Relationship between Cartesian
coordinates and Spherical coordinates:-
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Relationship between Cartesian
coordinates and Spherical coordinates:-
Cartesian to Spherical Spherical to Cartesian
(x, y, z) to (r, 𝜃, ∅) (r, 𝜃, ∅) to (x, y, z)
𝑥 = 𝑟 sin 𝜃 cos ∅
r= 𝑥2 + 𝑦2 + 𝑧2 𝑦 = 𝑟 sin 𝜃 sin ∅
𝑥2 + 𝑦2 𝑧 = 𝑟 cos 𝜃
𝜃 = tan−1
𝑧
−1
𝑦
∅ = tan
𝑥
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Cylindrical to spherical:
𝑟= 𝜌2 + 𝑧 2
−1 𝜌
𝜃= 𝑡𝑎𝑛
𝑧
∅=∅
Relationship between Cartesian
coordinates and Spherical coordinates:-
Dot products of unit vectors in spherical and Cartesian
coordinate systems (shown in below table)
𝑎𝒓 𝑎𝜽 𝑎∅
𝑎𝑥 sin 𝜃 cos ∅ cos 𝜃 cos ∅ − sin ∅
𝑎𝑦 sin 𝜃 sin ∅ cos 𝜃 sin ∅ cos ∅
𝑎𝑧 cos 𝜃 − sin 𝜃 0
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In matrix form,
From (𝐴𝑥 , 𝐴𝑦 , 𝐴𝑧 ) to (𝐴𝑟 , 𝐴𝜃 , 𝐴∅ )
𝐴𝑟 sin θ cos ∅ sin θ sin ∅ cos 𝜃 𝐴𝑥
𝐴𝜃 = cos 𝜃 cos ∅ cos 𝜃 sin ∅ − sin 𝜃 𝐴𝑦
𝐴Ø − sin ∅ cos ∅ 0 𝐴𝑧
From (𝐴𝑟 , 𝐴𝜃 , 𝐴∅ ) to (𝐴𝑥 , 𝐴𝑦 , 𝐴𝑧 )
𝐴𝑥 sin θ cos ∅ cos 𝜃 cos ∅ − sin ∅ 𝐴𝑟
𝐴𝑦 = sin θ sin ∅ cos 𝜃 sin ∅ cos ∅ 𝐴𝜃
𝐴𝑧 cos 𝜃 − sin 𝜃 0 𝐴Ø
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Exercise 1 (Ulubi)
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Exercise 2 (Ulubi)
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Exercise 2: Dananjayan pg1.6
Transform the Cartesian coordinates x=2, y=1, z=3 into
spherical coordinates.
Sol:
Exercise 3: Dananjayan pg1.7
Give the Cartesian coordinates of a point whose cylindrical
coordinates are (1, 45º,2).
Sol:
Exercise 4 (Sadiku pg 33)
Given point P (-2, 6, 3) and vector
𝐴Ԧ = 𝑦𝑎Ԧ𝑥 + 𝑥 + 𝑧 𝑎Ԧ 𝑦
express P and 𝐴Ԧ in cylindrical and spherical coordinates.
Evaluate 𝐴Ԧ and P in the Cartesian, Cylindrical and Spherical
systems.
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Solution
Solution
Solution
Tutorial 1 Sadiku
Reference
Matthew N. O. Sadiku, Elements of Electromagnetics, 4th
Edition, Oxford.
