Easy way to remember conversion of Gradient and Laplacian in curvilinear coordinates:

1. Consider general curvilinear coordinates q1 , q2 , q3 (For instance, {x, y, z}or {r, , }).
Consider differential increments dli perpendicular to surfaces qi =constant (i = 1, 2, 3).
The increments are related to dqi as dli = hi .dqi
e.g., For Cartesian coordinates, dli = 1.dxi ; Therefore, hi = 1 i = 1, 2, 3.
For spherical polar coordinates,
dl1 = 1.dr; dl2 = r.d ; dl3 = r sin .d = h1 = 1, h2 = r, h3 = r sin .
2. Now, the general definition of a gradient is
1 f
1 f
1 f
~ f = q1
+ q2
+ q3
h1 q1
h2 q2
h3 q3
For Cartesian coordinates,
1 f
1 f
1 f
+ x2
+ x3
~ f = x1
1 x1
1 x2
1 x3
For spherical polar coordinates,
1f
1f
1 f
~ f = r
+
+
1 r
r
r sin
3. the general definition of a Laplacian is







1

h2 h3 f

h3 h1 f

h1 h2 f
2
~
~
f = . f =
+
+
h1 h2 h3 q1
h1 q1
q2
h2 q2
q3
h3 q3
For Cartesian coordinates,








1.1 f

1.1 f

1.1 f
2 f 2 f 2 f
1
2
+
+
= 2+ 2+ 2
f=
1.1.1 x1
1 x1
x2
1 x2
x3
1 x3
x1 x2 x3
For spherical polar coordinates,
 





r.r sin f

r sin .1 f

1.r f
1
2
f=
+
+
1.r.r sin r
1
r

r sin




1

f
1
2 f
1
2 f
r
+ 2
sin
+ 2 2
= 2
r r
r
r sin

r sin 2