A.

2 Curvilinear coordinates systems

r 1 r
r 3
2
dr 1 dq 2 dq 3 dq
q
q
q

Base Vectors

Summation convention used!

Example A.2-1 Base Vectors in

Spherical Coordinates
Let us consider (x1, x2, x3) rectangular (Cartesian)
coordinates and (r, q, f) spherical coordinates.
From trigonometry:

From B.S.L. A.6

Hence

Not necessarily
unit vectors and
dimensionless!

To obtain the reciprocal (contravariant)

base vectors

A.2-2 Transformation rules of vectors

For any vector

Transformation of
contravariant
components

N.B. For the coordinates:

Contravariant transformation

A.2-3 Transformation rules of tensors

A.2-4 Metric Tensor

ds 2 dr dr
r r
m
n
m n dq dq
q q
g m g n dq m dq n
g mn dq m dq n
o gmn covariant components of the metric tensor
The contravariant components can be defined by:

mn

g g
m

A.2-6 Derivatives

Gradient of a vector

Divergence of a vector:

To obtain the Christoffel symbol:

In sperical coordinates:

Operator