Topic : Coordinate Systems and

Transformation
Coordinate systems
1. Cartesian
2. Cylindrical
3. Spherical
Transformations
1. Cartesian Cylindrical

UEEA2263 Introductory Electromagnetics 1

 Coordinate Systems and
Transformations
• An orthogonal system is one in which the coordinates
are mutually perpendicular.
• Examples of orthogonal coordinate systems include:
- Cartesian (rectangular) - Conical
- Circular cylindrical - Prolate spheroidal
- Spherical - Oblate spheroidal
- Elliptic cylindrical - Ellipsoidal
- Parabolic cylindrical

UEEA2263 Introductory Electromagnetics 2

 Spheroidal
• Prolate spheroidal • Oblate spheroidal

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page
UEEA2263 Introductory Electromagnetics 3
Now, we want to represent a point P in
space using different coordinate systems.
Note that - Point P is always unchanged.
- The origin O is fixed.
- Distance OP is always fixed.

UEEA2263 Introductory Electromagnetics 4

 Cartesian Coordinates (x, y, z)
• A point P can be represented as
(x, y, z).
• Ranges of the coordinate z
variables:
– - < x <  y
– - < y < 
x
– - < z < 
– A vector A in Cartesian coordinate
(Ax, Ay, Az) or Axax + Ayay + Azaz
UEEA2263 Introductory Electromagnetics 5
 Cartesian Coordinates (x, y, z)
• Rene Descartes

UEEA2263 Introductory Electromagnetics 6

 Circular Cylindrical Coordinates
(, , z)
• A point P is represented
by (, , z) z
where az
 is the radius of the
cylinder  a
 is called azimuthal angle P a
z is same as in Cartesian z
coordinate
y
• Ranges of variables: 
0
0    2 x
- < z <  UEEA2263 Introductory Electromagnetics 7
 Circular Cylindrical Coordinates
(, , z)
• A vector A in cylindrical coordinates can be written as:
(A, A, Az) or Aa + Aa + Azaz
• Magnitude of A

A  ( A 2  A 2  A 2z )
• Note that unit vector a, a and az are mutually perpendicular,
thus,
a ∙ a = a ∙ a = az ∙ az = 1
a ∙ a = a ∙ az = az ∙ a = 0
a × a = az
a × az = a
az × a = a

UEEA2263 Introductory Electromagnetics 8

 Relation between (x, y, z) and (, , z)
Converting Cartesian  Cylindrical
z
  x2  y2
y
  tan 1
P(x,y,z)=P( ,,z)
x
zz
z
Converting Cylindrical  Cartesian
x   cos 

x =  cos 
y
y   sin  y =  sin 

zz x
UEEA2263 Introductory Electromagnetics 9
 Relation between (ax, ay, az) and
(a, a, az) a 
y
ax = cos  a - sin  a ax
 -a
x
ay
ay = sin  a + cos  a a a
y

az = az 
x
UEEA2263 Introductory Electromagnetics 10
 Relation between (ax, ay, az) and
(a, a, az) ay
a
a = cos  ax + sin  ay y
ax

x
a = -sin  ax + cos  ay ay
a
y
-ax
az= az 
x
UEEA2263 Introductory Electromagnetics 11
Relation between (Ax, Ay, Az) and
(A, A, Az)
 Aρ   cos  sin  0  Ax 
 A    sin  cos   
0  Ay  
  
 Az   0 0 1  Az 
 Ax  cos   sin  0  A 
 A    sin  cos   
0  A  
 y 
 Az   0 0 1  Az 
UEEA2263 Introductory Electromagnetics 12
 Spherical Coordinates (r, ,)
• A point P is represented by (r, , ).
• Ranges of the variable:
0r
0
0    2
• A vector A in spherical coordinates may be
written as
(Ar, A, A) or Arar + Aa + Aa
• Magnitude of A
A  ( Ar2  A2  A2 )
UEEA2263 Introductory Electromagnetics 13
 Relationship between unit vectors
ar ∙ ar = a ∙ a = a ∙ a = 1 z

ar ∙ a = a ∙ a = a ∙ ar = 0
ar
 a
ar × a = a r
y
a × a = ar 
a × ar = a x

UEEA2263 Introductory Electromagnetics 14

Relation between (x, y, z) and (r, , )
r  x2  y2  z 2 z
x y
2 2 x2  y2
  tan 1

z
y
  tan 1

θ
r
x z
x  r sin  cos 
y
y  r sin  sin  

z  r cos
x
UEEA2263 Introductory Electromagnetics 15
 Express ar using (ax, ay, az)
az
sin θ Projection of ar on az
ar cos θ
θ
Projection of ar on ax
z
sin θ cos
 ay
Projection of ar on ay
ax sin θ sin

Obviously ar = sin cos  ax + sin sin  ay + cos az

UEEA2263 Introductory Electromagnetics 16

 Relation between (ax, ay, az) and
(ar, aθ, a),
ax = sin cos  ar + cos cos  a - sin  a
ay = sin sin  ar + cos sin  a + cos  a
az= cos ar - sin a
or
ar = sin cos  ax + sin sin  ay + cos az
a = cos cos ax + cos sin  ay - sin az
a = - sin  ax + cos  ay
UEEA2263 Introductory Electromagnetics 17
Relation between (Ax, Ay, Az) and
(Ar, Aθ, A)

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

  
 A   cos cos  cos sin   sin    Ay 
 A    sin  cos  0   Az 
 
 Ax  sin  cos  cos cos   sin    Ar 
 A    sin  sin    
 y  cos sin  cos    A 
 Az   cos  sin  0   A 

UEEA2263 Introductory Electromagnetics 18

 Distance between two points
• Distance between two points with position vectors r1
and r2 is given by
d = |r2 – r1|
• Cartesian coordinates
d  ( x2  x1)  ( y2  y1)  ( z2  z1)
2 2 2 2

• Circular cylindrical coordinates

d 
2
2
2
 1
2
 2 1  2cos(2  1 )  ( z2  z1 ) 2

• Spherical coordinates
d 2  r22  r12  2r1r2 cos 2 cos1  2r1r2 sin  2 sin 1 cos(2  1 )
UEEA2263 Introductory Electromagnetics 19
 Example 1: Evaluate A at P
Given point P(-2, 6, 3) and vector A = yax
+ (x+z)ay, express P and A in cylindrical
and spherical coordinates. Evaluate A at
P in the Cartesian, cylindrical, and
spherical systems.

UEEA2263 Introductory Electromagnetics 20

 Answers
In cylindrical system, P is represented as (6.32, 108.430, 3).
In spherical system, P is represented as (7, 64.620, 108.430).

In Cartesian system, A=6ax+ay

In cylindrical system, A=-0.9487a-6.008a
In spherical system, A=-0.8571ar-0.4066aθ-6.008a

UEEA2263 Introductory Electromagnetics 21

 Example 2: Spherical  Cartesian coordinate
transformation
10
(a) Express vector B  a r  rcosθa θ  a φ
r
in Cartesian coordinate system.

(b) Find B(-3, 4, 0).

UEEA2263 Introductory Electromagnetics 22

 Answers
10 x xz 2 y
(a) Bx   
x y z
2 2 2
x 2
y 2
x 2
y z
2 2
 x 2
 y2 
10 y yz 2 x
By   
x y z
2 2 2
x 2
y 2
x 2
y z
2 2
 x 2
 y2 
10 z z x2  y2
Bz  
x y z
2 2 2
x2  y2  z 2

(b) At (-3,4,0), Bx = -2, By = 1, Bz = 0

UEEA2263 Introductory Electromagnetics 23

 Constant Coordinate Surfaces
• Easily generated by keeping one of the
coordinate variable constant and allowing
the other two to vary.

UEEA2263 Introductory Electromagnetics 24

 Constant Coordinate Surfaces –
Cartesian coordinates
In Cartesian system, if we keep x constant and allow y
and z to vary, an infinite plane (yz plane) is generated.
x = constant y = constant z = constant
z z
z

y
y
x y

x x
UEEA2263 Introductory Electromagnetics 25
 Constant Coordinate Surfaces –
cylindrical coordinates
 = constant  = constant z = constant

z
z z

y
y y
x x
x

UEEA2263 Introductory Electromagnetics 26

 Constant Coordinate Surfaces –
spherical coordinates
r = constant  = constant  = constant
z

z z

y y y
x x x

UEEA2263 Introductory Electromagnetics 27

 Example 3: Constant coordinate
surfaces
Two uniform vector fields are given by
E = -5a + 10a + 3az, and F = a + 2a - 6az
Calculate
(a) E F
(b) The vector component of E at P(5, /2, 3)
parallel to the line x = 2, z = 3.
(c) The angle E makes with the surface z = 3 at P

UEEA2263 Introductory Electromagnetics 28

 Answers
(a) EF=-66a-27a-20az
|EF|=74.06

(b) -5ay

(c) 15.020

UEEA2263 Introductory Electromagnetics 29

 Example 4: Spherical coordinates
Given a vector field
D = r sinar – 1/r sin cosa + r2a
Determine
(a) D at P(10, 1500, 3300)
(b) The component of D tangential to the
spherical surface r = 10 at P
(c) A unit vector at P perpendicular to D and
tangential to the cone  = 1500
UEEA2263 Introductory Electromagnetics 30
 Answers
(a) D=-5ar+0.043aθ+100a

(b) Dt=0.043aθ+100a

(c) a=-0.9988ar-0.0499a

UEEA2263 Introductory Electromagnetics 31

Summary : Coordinate Systems and
Transformation
• The three common coordinate systems are
the Cartesian, the circular cylindrical and
the spherical.
• A point P is represented as P(x, y, z), P(, ,
z) and P(r, , ) in Cartesian, cylindrical and
spherical systems respectively.
• A vector field A is represented as (Ax, Ay, Az)
or Axax +Ayay + Azaz in the Cartesian system,
as (A, A, Az) or Aa +Aa + Azaz in the
cylindrical system, as (Ar, A, A) or Arar
+Aa + Aa in the spherical system.
UEEA2263 Introductory Electromagnetics 32
Summary : Coordinate Systems and
Transformation
• It is preferable that mathematical operation
be performed in the same coordinate system.
Thus, point and vector transformation
should be performed whenever necessary.
• Fixing one variable defines a surface; fixing
two variables defines a line; fixing three
variables defines a point.
• A unit normal vector to surface n = constant
is  an.
UEEA2263 Introductory Electromagnetics 33