Coordinate Systems and Vector Derivatives Formula Sheet

Rectangular (Cartesian) Coordinates (x, y, z)

Line element: d~` = x̂ dx + ŷ dy + ẑ dz

Volume element: dτ = dx dy dz

Gradient: ~ = ∂f x̂ + ∂f ŷ + ∂f ẑ
∇f
∂x ∂y ∂z

Divergence: ~ · ~v = ∂vx + ∂vy + ∂vz

∇
∂x ∂y ∂z
∂vz ∂vy ∂vx ∂vz ∂vy ∂vx
µ ¶ µ ¶ µ ¶
Curl: ~ × ~v =
∇ − x̂ + − ŷ + − ẑ
∂y ∂z ∂z ∂x ∂x ∂y

∂2f ∂2f ∂2f

Laplacian: ∇2 f = + +
∂x2 ∂y 2 ∂z 2

Spherical Coordinates (r, θ, φ)

Relations to rectangular (Cartesian) coordinates and unit vectors:

x = r sin θ cos φ x̂ = r̂ sin θ cos φ + θ̂ cos θ cos φ − φ̂ sin φ
y = r sin θ sin φ ŷ = r̂ sin θ sin φ + θ̂ cos θ sin φ + φ̂ cos φ
z = r cos θ ẑ = r̂ cos θ − θ̂ sin θ
p
r = x2 +p y2 + z2 r̂ = x̂ sin θ cos φ + ŷ sin θ sin φ + ẑ cos θ
θ = tan−1 ( x2 + y 2 /z) θ̂ = x̂ cos θ cos φ + ŷ cos θ sin φ − ẑ sin θ
φ = tan−1 (y/x) φ̂ = −x̂ sin φ + ŷ cos φ

Line element: d~` = r̂ dr + θ̂ r dθ + φ̂ r sin θ dφ

Volume element: dτ = r 2 sin θ dr dθ dφ

Gradient: ~ = ∂f r̂ + 1 ∂f θ̂ + 1 ∂f φ̂
∇f
∂r r ∂θ r sin θ ∂φ

~ · ~v = 1 ∂ (r2 vr ) + 1 ∂ 1 ∂vφ
Divergence: ∇ 2
(sin θ vθ ) +
r ∂r r sin θ ∂θ r sin θ ∂φ
1 ∂ ∂vθ 1 1 ∂vr ∂
· ¸ · ¸
Curl: ~ × ~v =
∇ (sin θ vφ ) − r̂ + − (r vφ ) θ̂
r sin θ ∂θ ∂φ r sin θ ∂φ ∂r
1 ∂ ∂vr
· ¸
+ (r vθ ) − φ̂
r ∂r ∂θ
1 ∂2 1 ∂ ∂f 1 ∂2f
µ ¶
Laplacian: ∇2 f = 2
(rf ) + 2 sin θ + 2
r ∂r r sin θ ∂θ ∂θ r2 sin θ ∂φ2
Cylindrical Coordinates (r, φ, z)

Relations to rectangular (Cartesian) coordinates and unit vectors:

x = r cos φ x̂ = r̂ cos φ − φ̂ sin φ

y = r sin φ ŷ = r̂ sin φ + φ̂ cos φ
z = z ẑ = ẑ
p
r = x2 + y 2 r̂ = x̂ cos φ + ŷ sin φ
φ = tan−1 (y/x) φ̂ = −x̂ sin φ + ŷ cos φ
z = z ẑ = ẑ

Line element: d~` = r̂ dr + φ̂ r dφ + ẑ dz

Volume element: dτ = r dr dφ dz

Gradient: ~ = ∂f r̂ + 1 ∂f φ̂ + ∂f ẑ
∇f
∂r r ∂φ ∂z

Divergence: ~ · ~v = 1 ∂ (rvr ) + 1 ∂vφ + ∂vz

∇
r ∂r r ∂φ ∂z
1 ∂vz ∂vφ ∂vr ∂vz 1 ∂ ∂vr
· ¸ · ¸ · ¸
Curl: ~ × ~v =
∇ − r̂ + − φ̂ + (rvφ ) − ẑ
r ∂φ ∂z ∂z ∂r r ∂r ∂φ

1 ∂ ∂f 1 ∂2f ∂2f
µ ¶
2
Laplacian: ∇ f = r + +
r ∂r ∂r r2 ∂φ2 ∂z 2