Section A1.

7: The Laplacian in Cylindrical and Spherical Coordinates

Topic A1.7.1: Cylindrical Coordinates

The derivation of the Laplacian ∇ 2 in

cylindrical coordinates is rather tedious using straight
forward calculation. However, the book by Churchill
and Brown provides a few unique steps to convert the
Laplacian from rectangular to cylindrical coordinates.
Recall that the point (x,y,z) shown in Figure
A1.7.1 can also be describe in cylindrical coordinates
as (ρ,φ, z ) where ρ is the distance from the z-axis and
φ is the angle between ρ and the x-axis. The
coordinates ρ = ρ(x , y ) and φ = φ( x, y) depend only
Figure A1.7.1: Cylindrical coordinates
on x,y. The rectangular and cylindrical coordinates
are related by
x = ρ cos φ ρ = x 2 + y2
or (A1.7.1)
y = ρ sin φ tan φ = y / x
The rectangular form of the Laplacian ∇ 2 u = u xx + u yy + u zz (where the subscripts
indicate partial derivatives) needs to be converted to cylindrical coordinates. For
example, the term u xx = ∂ 2 u / ∂x 2 can be calculated by knowing ∂u / ∂x . Therefore, first
consider
∂u ∂ρ ∂φ ∂z
= uρ + uφ + uz (A1.7.2)
∂x ∂x ∂x ∂x
obtained by the chain rule from elementary calculus. Note that mixed derivatives such as
∂y / ∂x = 0 = ∂ρ / ∂φ are zero since (x,y,z) and (ρ,φ, z ) are each sets of independent
coordinates. But quantities such as ∂ρ / ∂x are not zero. Equation A1.7.2 can be
rewritten by using the definition of the differential of a function
∂f ∂f ∂f
df = dx + dy + dz
∂x ∂y ∂z
for the function ρ as follows
ρ = x 2 + y2
∂ρ ∂ρ x y
dρ = dx + dy = dx + dy
∂x ∂y ρ ρ
where
∂ρ x ∂ρ y
= = (A1.7.3)
∂x ρ ∂y ρ
The same results can be obtained by calculating ∂ρ / ∂x directly, but the above procedure
has the advantage of calculating all relevant partials (such as ∂ρ / ∂x ∂ρ / ∂y ) at the same
time. The present procedure illustrates that dy=0 when calculating ∂ρ / ∂x and it also

A1.26
simplifies the calculations for ∂φ / ∂x . The transformation to cylindrical coordinates
requires that any reference to x,y in Equations A1.7.2 and A1.7.3 be eliminated. Using
the defining relations for cylindrical coordinates in Equation A1.7.1 provide
∂ρ ∂ρ
= cos φ = sin φ (A1.7.4)
∂x ∂y
Equation A1.7.2 also has terms such as ∂φ / ∂x which are easiest to calculate with
an implicit definition for φ
tan φ = y / x
The differential of the last expression gives
x dy − y dx
d tan φ =
x2
Note that the change in φ depends on dx and dy. If dx=0 then d tan φ = dy / x and so on.
However, elementary calculus provides the formula
d 1 dφ
tan φ = → d tan φ =
dφ cos φ
2
cos 2 φ
Combining the previous two equations for d(tan φ) provides
 x dy − y dx 
dφ = cos 2 φ  
 x2
Substituting the cylindrical form of x, y and collecting terms gives
cos φ sin φ
dφ = dy − dx
ρ ρ
Comparing this last equation with the definition for the differential dφ which is
∂φ ∂φ ∂φ
dφ = dy + dx + dz
∂y ∂x ∂z
gives
∂φ cos φ ∂φ sin φ ∂φ
= =− =0 (A1.7.5)
∂y ρ ∂x ρ ∂z
Therefore, ∂u / ∂x in Equation A1.7.2 can be written in cylindrical coordinates by
combining that equation with Equations A1.7.4 and A1.7.5.
∂u ∂ρ ∂φ ∂z sin φ
= uρ + uφ + uz = u ρ cos φ − uφ (A1.7.6)
∂x ∂x ∂x ∂x ρ
The Laplacian requires the quantity ∂ 2 u / ∂x 2 be calculated. Brown and Churchill
make an interesting observation to simplify the procedure. In Equation A1.7.6, replace
“u” with “f” as a change in notation.
∂f ∂ρ ∂φ ∂z sin φ
= fρ + fφ + fz = f ρ cos φ − fφ
∂x ∂x ∂x ∂x ρ
Next, note that if f=ux (the first derivative of u) then the last equation can equally well be
written as
∂u ∂ sin φ ∂
u xx = x = cos φ ux − ux
∂x ∂ρ ρ ∂φ
However, ux is known from Equation A1.7.6.

A1.27
 ∂u x ∂  sin φ  sin φ ∂  sin φ 
u xx = = cos φ  u ρ cos φ − u φ  −  u ρ cos φ − u φ 
∂x ∂ρ  ρ  ρ ∂φ  ρ 
Using ∂ cos φ / ∂φ = 0 = ∂ρ / ∂φ (etc.) provides
2 sin φ cos φ sin 2 φ sin 2 φ 2 sin φ cos φ
u xx = u ρρ cos 2 φ − u φρ + 2 u φφ + uρ + uφ (A1.7.7)
ρ ρ ρ ρ2

In a similar manner, the term uyy can also be found

2 sin φ cos φ cos 2 φ sin 2 φ 2 sin φ cos φ
u yy = u ρρ sin 2 φ + u φρ + u φφ + uρ − u φ (A1.7.8)
ρ ρ 2
ρ ρ2
Equations A1.7.7 and A1.7.8 can be combined to give the Laplacian in cylindrical
coordinates.
1 1
∇ 2 u (ρ, φ, z ) = u ρρ + u ρ + 2 u φφ + u zz (A1.7.9)
ρ ρ
The subscripts refer to partial derivatives.

Topic A1.7.2: The Laplacian in Spherical Coordinates

This section transforms the Laplacian

∇ u = u xx + u yy + u zz from rectangular coordinates
2

into spherical coordinates. The procedure follows

an interesting technique developed in Brown and
Churchill. Figure A1.7.2 shows the definition of
the spherical coordinates as discussed in previous
sections. The derivation requires the relations
between the two sets of coordinates
r = r (x, y, z ) = x 2 + y 2 + z 2
tan φ = y / x
cos θ = z / x 2 + y 2 + z 2
The Laplacian could be calculated by using
expressions similar to Figure A1.7.2: Spherical coordinates
∂r ∂φ ∂θ
ux = ur + uφ + uθ
∂x ∂x ∂x
and proceeding as in previous section. However, Brown and Churchill present another
method that compare variables.
Consider the table shown below.

Cylindrical: x = ρ cos φ y = ρ sin φ

Spherical: z = r cos θ ρ = r sin θ

A1.28
Brown and Churchill not that the two sets of equations have similar form. Of course, the
variables x ≠ z etc. The table shows the following identification as far as the structure of
the equations are concerned.
Cyl : x ρ φ y
7 7 7 7
Sph : z r θ ρ
The basic idea is that the expressions derived in cylindrical coordinates should hold in
spherical coordinates so long as the above substitutions are made. Brown and Churchill
group the terms in cylindrical Laplacian (Equation A1.7.9) as
1 1
∇ 2 u = u zz + u ρρ + u ρ + 2 u φφ (A1.7.10)
← term 1→ ρ ρ
← term 2→ ← term 3→

Term 1 was originally obtained from u xx + u yy

∂2u ∂2u ∂2u 1 ∂u 1 ∂2u
+ = + + 2.9.11
∂x 2 ∂y 2 ∂ρ2 ρ ∂ρ ρ2 ∂φ2
ρ→ r
(x → z) ( y → ρ) (ρ → r ) (ρ → r )  
φ → θ
⇓ ⇓ ⇓ ⇓ ⇓
∂2u ∂2u ∂2u 1 ∂u 1 ∂2u
+ = + + 2.9.12
∂z 2 ∂ρ2 ∂r 2 r ∂r r 2 ∂θ2
The left side shows the conversion from rectangular to cylindrical coordinates. The right
side shows the coversion from cylindrical to spherical coordinates. The figure below
shows the relation.

The left side of Equation A1.7.12 is term #1 in Equation A1.7.10. Therefore the right-
hand side of Equation A1.7.12 gives term #1 in spherical coordinates.
Next, examine term #2 in Equation A1.7.10. Making the same identification
provides

A1.29
 ∂u y ∂u x ∂u
= + 2.9.13
∂y ρ ∂ρ ρ2 ∂φ
x → z
 y → ρ  
( y → ρ)   ρ→r
ρ→r φ → θ
 
⇓ ⇓ ⇓
∂u ρ ∂u z ∂u
= + 2.9.14
∂ρ r ∂r r 2 ∂θ
Divide this last equation by ρ to get term #2
1 ∂u 1 ∂u z ∂u 1 ∂u cot φ ∂u
= + 2 = + 2 (A1.7.15)
ρ ∂ρ r ∂r ρr ∂θ r ∂r r ∂θ
since z / ρ = cot θ . Term #3 is easy, replace ρ by r sin θ to get
1 ∂ 2u 1 ∂ 2u
→ (A1.7.16)
ρ 2 ∂φ 2 r 2 sin 2 θ ∂φ 2
Combining all of the terms in Equations A1.7.3,6,7 provides
 ∂ 2 u 1 ∂u 1 ∂ 2 u   1 ∂u cot φ ∂u  1 ∂ 2u
∇ u= 2 +
2
+ + + 2 +
 ∂r r ∂r r 2 ∂θ 2   r ∂r r ∂θ  r 2 sin 2 θ ∂φ 2
The author prefers the straight forward method that explicitly calculates ∂u / ∂x etc.

A1.30