Coordinate Systems

Lecture #2
 COORDINATE SYSTEM
• Rectangular coordinate system:

2D Cartesian system


d l  AB  xˆ dx  yˆ dy
 z Surface area EHGF = d x d y zˆ

Surface area GCBF = d x d z  yˆ

(x + dx, y + dy, z + dz)

HG Surface area HDCG = d y d z  xˆ

y
3D Cartesian system


x d l  AG  xˆ dx  yˆ dy  zˆ dz Vol. element = d  d x d y dz
 z
P2 (x2, y2, z2)

P1 (x1, y1, z1)

Vector P1P2 = x2  x1  xˆ   y2  y1  yˆ  z2  z1  zˆ
0 y

P1P2   x2  x1  2   y2  y1 2  z2  z1  2

x

x2  x1  xˆ   y2  y1  yˆ  z2  z1  zˆ
Unit vector k̂ along vector P1P2 =
x2  x1  2   y2  y1 2  z2  z1  2
• Polar coordinates (s, ) for problems involving circular symmetry

Elemental area ABCD (dS) = sdsd

sd

y ŷ ˆ
s sin  ˆ ŝ
1 1 sin 
cos  1 
x̂
sin 
s cos 

s cos 
x
Coordinates of A: s,   sˆ  xˆ cos   yˆ sin 
Coordinates of B: s,   d  φˆ   xˆ sin   yˆ cos 
Coordinates of C: s  ds,   d 
Coordinates of D: s  ds,   xˆ  sˆ cos   ˆ sin 
sˆ.ˆ  0 ˆ  sˆ sin   ˆ cos 
 • Cylindrical coordinate system (s, , z):
x  s cos  , y  s sin  , z  z;
Coordinate of A: (s,,z)
0  s  , 0    2 ,    z  
(s,) means the same
as in polar coordinates
Consider moving from A by an incremental ds
(keeping  and z constant), it will lead to D

Consider moving by an incremental dz

(keeping  and s constant), it will make A
move to E

Likewise for and incremental d , it will make

A to move to B along AB

sˆ  xˆ cos   yˆ sin 
φˆ   xˆ sin   yˆ cos  xˆ  sˆ cos   ˆ sin 
zˆ  zˆ
yˆ  sˆ sin   ˆ cos 
 Consider an infinitesimal volume:

A: (s, , z)
iii)
ii)
G: (s + ds,  + d, z + dz)

Differential vector AG :
i) 
dl  dls ŝ  dl φ̂  dl z ẑ
ds sd dz

 d  s ds dzd 
x
Integration over a volume element
i) Surface area HDCG = sd dz sˆ a 2 L

 d  sds  d  dz
ii) Surface area FBCG = d sdz ˆ 0 0 0

  a2L
iii) Surface area EHGF = s ds d zˆ