Vector Calculus

Vector Calculus

COORDINATE SYSTEMS

• RECTANGULAR or Cartesian
• CYLINDRICAL Choice is based on
• SPHERICAL symmetry of problem

Examples:
Sheets - RECTANGULAR
Wires/Cables - CYLINDRICAL
Spheres - SPHERICAL
Cylindrical Symmetry Spherical Symmetry
Cartesian Coordinates Or Rectangular Coordinates

P (x, y, z) z

  x   P(x,y,z)
  y  
y
  z  
x
A vector A in Cartesian coordinates can be written as

( Ax , Ay , Az ) or Ax a x  Ay a y  Az a z
where ax,ay and az are unit vectors along x, y and z-directions.
 Cylindrical Coordinates
z
P (ρ, Φ, z)
0  
z

P(ρ, Φ, z)
0    2
  z   x Φ
ρ y

A vector A in Cylindrical coordinates can be written as

( A , A , Az ) or A a  A a  Az a z
where aρ,aΦ and az are unit vectors along ρ, Φ and z-directions.
x= ρ cos Φ, y=ρ sin Φ, z=z
y
  x  y ,   tan
2 2 1
,z  z
x
The relationships between (ax,ay, az) and (aρ,aΦ, az)are

a x  cos a  sin a

a y  sin a  cos a
az  az
or
a  cos a x  sin a y
a   sin a x  cos a y
az  az
Then the relationships between (Ax,Ay, Az) and (Aρ, AΦ, Az)are

A  ( Ax cos   Ay sin  )a  ( Ax sin   Ay cos  )a  Az a z

 A  Ax cos   Ay sin 
A   Ax sin   Ay cos 
Az  Az
In matrix form we can write

 A   cos  sin  0  Ax 
 A    sin  cos  0  Ay 
  
 Az   0 0 1  Az 
 Spherical Coordinates
z
P (r, θ, Φ) 0r  P(r, θ, Φ)
θ r
0  
0    2 x Φ
y

A vector A in Spherical coordinates can be written as

( Ar , A , A ) or Ar ar  A a  A a
where ar, aθ, and aΦ are unit vectors along r, θ, and Φ-directions.
x=r sin θ cos Φ, y=r sin θ sin Φ, Z=r cos θ

x2  y2 1 y
r  x 2  y 2  z 2 ,   tan 1 ,   tan
z x
 The relationships between (ax,ay, az) and (ar,aθ,aΦ)are
a x  sin  cos ar  cos cos a  sin a
a y  sin  sin ar  cos  sin a  cos a
a z  cosar  sin a
or
ar  sin  cos a x  sin  sin a y  cos a z
a  cos  cos a x  cos  sin a y  sin a z
a   sin a x  cos a y
Then the relationships between (Ax,Ay, Az) and (Ar, Aθ,and AΦ)are
A  ( Ax sin  cos   Ay sin  sin   Az cos  )ar
 ( Ax cos  cos   Ay cos  sin   Az sin  )a
 ( Ax sin   Ay cos  )a
 Ar  Ax sin  cos   Ay sin  sin   Az cos 
A  Ax cos  cos   Ay cos  sin   Az sin 
A   Ax sin   Ay cos 
In matrix form we can write

 Ar   sin  cos  sin  sin  cos    Ax 

  
 A   cos  cos  cos  sin   sin    Ay 
 A    sin  cos  0   Az 
 
 z z
P(r, θ, Φ)
Cartesian Coordinates P(x,y,z)
θ r P(x, y, z) y

Φ
y x
x

Spherical Coordinates Cylindrical Coordinates

P(r, θ, Φ) z P(ρ, Φ, z)

z
P(ρ, Φ, z)

r y
x Φ
 Differential Length, Area and Volume
Cartesian Coordinates

Differential displacement
dl  dxa x  dya y  dza z

Differential area

dS  dydzax  dxdza y  dxdyaz

Differential Volume
dV  dxdydz
Cylindrical Coordinates

ρ ρ

ρ ρ

ρ ρρ

ρ ρ
 Differential Length, Area and Volume

Cylindrical Coordinates
Differential displacement
dl  da  da  dza z

Differential area

dS  ddza  ddza  dda z

Differential Volume
dV  dddz
Spherical Coordinates
 Differential Length, Area and Volume

Spherical Coordinates
Differential displacement
dl  drar  rd a  r sin da

Differential area

dS  r 2 sin ddar  r sin drd a  rdrd a

Differential Volume
dV  r sin drd d
2
 Line, Surface and Volume Integrals

Line Integral

 A.dl
L

Surface Integral
   A.dS
S

Volume Integral

 p dv
V
v
 Gradient, Divergence and Curl

The Del Operator

• Gradient of a scalar function is a

vector quantity.
f Vector

• Divergence of a vector is a scalar

. A
quantity.
• Curl of a vector is a vector
 A
quantity.
• The Laplacian of a scalar A  A
2
 Del Operator

Cartesian Coordinates
  
  ax  a y  az
x y z
Cylindrical Coordinates
 1  
 a  a  a z
   z
Spherical Coordinates

 1  1 
  ar  a  a
r r  r sin  
 Gradient of a Scalar

The gradient of a scalar field V is a vector that represents

both the magnitude and the direction of the maximum
space rate of increase of V.
V V V
V  ax  ay  az
x y z
V 1 V V
V  a  a  az
   z
V 1 V 1 V
V  ar  a  a
r r  r sin  
 Divergence of a Vector

The divergence of A at a given point P is the outward flux

per unit volume as the volume shrinks about P.
 A.dS
divA  . A  lim S
v 0 v
A A A
. A   
x y z
1  1 A Az
. A  ( A )  
    z
 Curl of a Vector

The curl of A is an axial vector whose magnitude is the

maximum circulation of A per unit area tends to zero and
whose direction is the normal direction of the area when
the area is oriented to make the circulation maximum.
 
 L 
A.dl
curlA    A   lim  an
 s 0 S 
  max
Where ΔS is the area bounded by the curve L and an is the unit
vector normal to the surface ΔS
  ax ay az   a a az 
   1  
 A     A   
 x y z      z 
 Ax Ay Az   A A Az 

Cartesian Coordinates Cylindrical Coordinates

 ar ra r sin a 

1    
 A  2  
r sin   r   
 Ar rA r sin A 

Spherical Coordinates
 Divergence or Gauss’
Theorem
The divergence theorem states that the total outward flux
of a vector field A through the closed surface S is the same
as the volume integral of the divergence of A.

 A.dS   . Adv
V
 Stokes’ Theorem
Stokes’s theorem states that the circulation of a vector field A around
a closed path L is equal to the surface integral of the curl of A over
the open surface S bounded by L, provided A and are
 A
continuous on S

 A.dl   (  A).dS
L S