Unit 1 Vector Analysis

In this unit, the fundamentals of mathematics for the

study of electromagnetic field theory will be
introduced. You will first learn:
 the basics of vector analysis;
 concept of fields
 coordinate systems.

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Field studies are concerned with quantities in a region, or
space. These quantities can be described by scalar or vector
functions in an appropriate coordinate system.

1.1 Scalar and vector quantities

Scalar:

Use a balance to measure mass: Use a thermometer to measure

temperature:
2 kg, 3 kg, … 20 Celsius, -5 Celsius, ….

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 Scalar is a physical quantity which is completely
defined by its magnitude, e.g. mass, time,
temperature.
 It can be represented by a single (positive or

negative) real number.

Vector:

Move from A to B, we need to know “distance” and “direction”.

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 Vector is a physical quantity which is defined by its
magnitude together with its direction, e.g. displacement,
force, electric field, magnetic field.
 A vector is represented by an arrowed straight line whose
length represents its magnitude.
Force F :
Direction

Length
= magnitude F or simply F

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Example: Force distribution when two permanent
magnets (PM) attract one another

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 Minus vector F:

-F

 Discussion:
How to express the vector in math formula?

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 In the Cartesian (or rectangular) coordinate system, a
vector F may be represented by
F  Fx ax  Fy a y  Fz az

where ax , a y , az are unit vectors parallel to the x, y, z axes,

respectively.

Fz a z
az
Fy a y
ax
Fx ax ay

Fx a x , Fy a y and Fz a z are called component vectors,

and Fx , Fy , Fz are called component scalars, or
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simply components.

Relation between the magnitude of vector F and its

components:
F  Fx  Fy  Fz
2 2 2

The direction of F can be represented by unit vector

F
F .

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1.2 Vector addition and subtraction

If two vectors are given as:

P  Px ax  Py a y  Pz az

Q  Qx ax  Qy a y  Qz az

then the sum of the vectors is

S  P  Q  ( Px  Qx )ax  ( Py  Qy )a y  ( Pz  Qz )az (1.1)

It forms a parallelogram.
S  PQ S is the diagonal line.
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Another way to get: S  PQ
Q

P
S P
S

Add multi vectors together:

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The difference of the vectors
P  Px ax  Py a y  Pz az

Q  Qx ax  Qy a y  Qz az
is
D  P  Q  ( Px  Qx )ax  ( Py  Qy )a y  ( Pz  Qz )az (1.2)

D  P Q  P  Q  
Fig. 1.1 Vector addition and subtraction
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1.3 Vector multiplication
(1) Simple product m P
 This changes the length of P by the scalar factor m,

as illustrated in Fig. 1.2.

 If m is negative, the direction of P is reversed.

Fig. 1.2 Simple product

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(2) The dot product (scalar double product) P Q
 

 It is defined as
(it’s a scalar) (1.3)
P  Q  PQ cos   Q  P
   

and is illustrated in Fig. 1.3.

Fig. 1.3 The dot product

The distributive law holds, i.e.

 

P  Q  R  S  P Q  P  R  P  S (1.4)
        

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Note:

az

ax
ay

ax .ax  a y .a y  az .az  1  0 cos  1 (1.5)


ax .a y  a y .az  az .ax  0 
2 cos   0 (1.6)
The dot product of two orthogonal vectors is zero.
If P  Px ax  Py a y  Pz az
Q  Qx ax  Qy a y  Qz az
then
P  Q  Px Qx  Py Q y  Pz Qz (1.7)
 

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(3) The cross product (vector double product) PQ

It is defined as:
P  Q  PQ sin  an (it’s still a vector) (1.8)
where an is a unit vector normal to the P-Q plane.
 The magnitude of P  Q , P  Q = P Q sin  is always
positive and is numerically equal to the area of the
parallelogram.
 The direction of P  Q is normal to the P-Q plane, given by
the right-hand screw rule, as illustrated in Fig. 1.4.

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 Fig. 1.4 The cross product
Let the fingers of your right hand curl from P to Q naturally, the
direction that your thumb is pointing to P  Q .

Note: Q  P  PQ sin  ( an )   P  Q
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 For the Cartesian unit vectors ax , a y , az ,

az

ax
ay

ax  ax  a y  a y  az  az  0  0 sin   0 (1.9)

ax  a y  az ; a y  a z  ax ; az  ax  a y ;  sin   1
2

a y  ax   az ; az  a y   ax ; ax  az  a y   sin   1 (1.10)
2

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 The cross product can be written as a determinant in a
more easily remembered form:
ax ay az
P  Q  Px Py Pz
Qx Qy Qz (in Cartesian coordinates) (1.11)
The determinant:
ax ay az
Py Pz Px Pz Px Py
Px Py Pz  (1) a x
11
 (1) a y
1 2
 (1) a z
1 3
Qy Qz Qx Qz Qx Qy
Qx Qy Qz


 a x (1)11 Py Qz  (1)1 2 Pz Qy 
 a (1) 11
PxQz  (1)1 2 PQ 
 a (1) PQ 
y z x

z
11
Px Qy  (1)1 2 y x

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Example:
A  2a x  3a y  a z , B  4a x  2a y  5a z
ax a y az
A B  2  3 1
4 2 5

= [(3)(5)  (1)(2)]ax  [(2)(5)  (1)(4)]a y  [(2)(2)  (3)(4)]az

=  13ax  14a y  16az

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1.4 Fields
The region in which a certain physical quantity exerts its
influence is known as a field. A field can be a scalar or a
vector.
(1) Scalar field S
 In such a field the quantity may be represented by a
continuous function, say S(x, y, z) which specifies its
scalar value at each point (x, y, z).
 A scalar function can be ‘mapped’ by constructing a series
of surfaces on each of which the scalar quantity has the
same value  equipotentials.
 Examples of scalar field include: electric potential,
temperature distribution.
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Fig. 1.5 shows the potential field (a scalar field) in a
two-electrode system.
Equipotentials
10V 20V 30V 40V
0V 50V

Electrode Electrode
Fig. 1.5 Example of a scalar field

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Example: Voltage potential between two plates:

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(2) Vector field F
 The physical quantity is represented by a continuous
vector function F ( x, y, z ) which specifies the magnitude
and direction of F at each point (x, y, z).
A simple example of vector field:

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 A vector field is mapped by constructing lines of flux that
are everywhere tangential to F . The closeness or density
of these lines is a measure of the strength of the field.
 Examples are electric field and magnetic field.

Fig. 1.6 shows the electric field (a vector field) in a

two-electrode system.

Fig. 1.6 Example of a vector field

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Example: Magnetic field of a permanent magnet:

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Example: Electric field between two plates:

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Example: A magnetic field of permanent magnet

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 x2
Example: Given the vector field F  0.5 x a x  y a y  2 a z , find
out the magnitude of the vector F at point (0, 1,
-1).
Solution:
 x 
2 2

F  (0.5 x)  y   
2 2

 2 
 (0) 
2 2

 0  1  
2 2
  1
 2 

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1.5 Cylindrical coordinate system

 Polar coordinate system in 2-dimensional (2-D)

From polar coordinates (, ) to

a
 y
rectangular (x, y) coordinates: a
x   cos   P
y   sin   x
 From rectangular coordinates (x, y) Polar coordinates
to polar coordinates (, ):
  x2  y2
 y
  tan  
1

 x
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 Certain field problems are better solved using cylindrical
or spherical coordinate systems.
 Consider the cylindrical coordinate system shown in Fig.
1.7, the point P is defined by the intersection of three
mutually perpendicular surfaces, namely:
 a circular cylinder ( = constant)
 a plane ( = constant),
 another plane (z = constant).

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31
 Fig. 1.7 Cylindrical coordinate system

 The variables of the rectangular and cylindrical

coordinates are easily related to each other. From Fig. 1.7,
it is seen that:

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 From cylindrical coordinates (, , z) to rectangular (x,
y, z) coordinates:
x   cos
y   sin 
zz

 From rectangular coordinates (x, y, z) to cylindrical

coordinates (, , z):
  x2  y 2
 y
  tan 1  
x
zz

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1.6 Spherical coordinate system
Refer to Fig. 1.8, the point P is also defined by three
mutually perpendicular surfaces, namely
 a half-plane ( = constant).
 a conical surface ( = constant)
 a sphere (r = constant)

Fig. 1.8 Spherical coordinate system

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 The variables of the rectangular and spherical coordinate
systems are related by:
 From spherical coordinate (r,  , ) to rectangular
coordinates (x, y, z):
x  r sin  cos 
y  r sin  sin 
z  r cos
 From rectangular coordinates (x, y, z) to spherical
coordinates (r,  , ):
r  x2  y2  z 2
 z 
  cos  2
1 
 x  y2  z2 
 
1  y 
where r  0 and 00   1800
  tan  
 x
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