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Curvilinear
Coordinates 28.3
Introduction
The derivatives div, grad and curl from Section 29.2 can be carried out using coordinate systems
other than the rectangular cartesian coordinates. This Section shows how to calculate these
derivatives in other coordinate systems. Two coordinate systems - cylindrical polar coordinates
and spherical polar coordinates - will be illustrated.
be able to nd the gradient, divergence and
Prerequisites curl of a eld in cartesian coordinates.
Before starting this Section you should . . . be familiar with polar coordinates
Two commonly-used sets of orthogonal curvilinear coordinates are cylindrical polar coordinates
and spherical polar coordinates. These are similar to the plane polar coordinates introduced in
Section 17.2 but represent extensions to three dimensions.
(x, y, z)
x,
Figure 1
The scale factors h , h and hz are given as follows
2 2
x
2
y z
h = + + = (cos )2 + (sin )2 + 0 = 1
2 2
x
2
y z
h = + + = ( sin )2 + ( cos )2 + 0 =
(x, y, z)
x,
Figure 2
The scale factors hr , h and h are given by
2 2
x
2
y z
hr = + + = (sin cos )2 + (sin sin )2 + (cos )2 = 1
r r r
2 2
x
2
y z
h = + + = (r cos cos )2 + (r cos sin )2 + (r sin )2 = r
2 2
x
2
y z
h = + + = (r sin sin )2 + (r sin sin )2 + 0 = r sin
hu u hv v hw w
curl F = F =
hu hv hw
u v w
h F h F h F
u u v v w w
Key Point
In orthogonal curvilinear coordinates, the vector derivatives f , F and F are inuenced
by the scale factors hu , hv and hw .
If F = F + F + Fz z then
1
div F = F = (F ) + (F ) + (Fz )
z
curl F = F =
.
z
F F Fz
Solution
f f f
(a) If f = 2 + z 2 then = 2, = 0 and = 2z so f = 2 + 2z z.
z
f f f
(b) If f = 3 sin then = 32 sin , = 3 cos and = 0 and hence,
z
f = 32 sin + 2 cos .
(c) f = 3 sin = 2 sin = (x2 + y 2 )y = x2 y + y 3 so f = 2xyi + (x2 + 3y 2 )j.
Using cylindrical polar coordinates, from (b) we have
f = 32 sin + 3 cos
= 32 sin (cos i + sin j) + 2 cos ( sin i + cos j)
= 32 sin cos 2 sin cos i + 32 sin2 + 2 cos2 j
= 22 sin cos i + 32 sin2 + 2 cos2 j
= 2xyi + (3y 2 + x2 )j
So the results using cartesian and cylindrical polar coordinates are consistent.
F = F + F + Fz z = 3 + z + z sin z
= 3 (cos i + sin j) + z( sin i + cos j) + z sin k
= (3 cos z sin )i + (3 sin + z cos ) + zk
= 2 ( cos ) sin z i + 2 ( sin ) + cos z j + sin zk
= (x2 + y 2 )x yz i + (x2 + y 2 )y + xz j + yzk
= (x3 + xy 2 yz)i + (x2 y + y 3 + xz)j + yzk
So
3 2
F = (x + xy 2 yz) + (x y + y 3 + xz) + (yz)
x y z
2 2 2 2 2 2
= (3x + y ) + (x + 3y ) + y = 4x + 4y + y
= 4(x2 + y 2 ) + y
= 42 + sin
z
z
F = =
F F Fz
z sin 2z cos
1 2 2
= 2z cos z sin + 2z cos + z z sin
z z
1
= (2z sin sin ) + (0) + z(z sin )
(2z sin ) z sin
= + z
Solution
1 2 1
B = 0+ + k = [0 + 0 + 0] = 0
z
z
z
B =
=
z
B B Bz
0 k
=0
All magnetic elds satisfy B = 0 i.e. an absence of magnetic monopoles. There is a class of
magnetic elds known as potential elds that satisfy B = O
Your solution
(b)
cos 2 + sin 2z 2
z
(a) Find the derivatives [F ], [F ], [Fz ]
z
(b) Combine these to nd F
Your solution
Your solution
Your solution
(a)
Your solution
(b)
If F = Fr r + F + F
then
1 2
div F = F = 2 (r sin Fr ) + (r sin F ) + (rF )
r sin r
r r r2 sin
curl F = F = 2
r sin
Fr rF r sin F
Solution
(a)
f 1 f 1 f
f = r + + 2
r r r sin
(r) 1 (r) 1 (r)
= r + + 2
r r r sin
= 1r = r
(b)
f 1 f 1 f
f = r + + 2
r r r sin
( 1r ) 1 ( 1r ) 1 ( 1r )
= r + + 2
r r r sin
1
= 2 r
r
(c)
f 1 f 1 f
f = r + + 2
r r r sin
(r2 sin( + ) 1 (r2 sin( + ) 1 (r2 sin( + )
= r + + 2
r r r sin
1 1
= 2r sin( + )r + r2 cos( + ) + 2 r2 cos( + )
r r sin
cos( + )
= 2r sin( + )r + r cos( + ) +
sin
Solution
(a)
1 2
F = 2 (r sin Fr ) + (r sin F ) + (rF )
r sin r
1 2
= 2 (r sin r) + (r sin 0) + (r 0)
r sin r
1 3 1 2
= 2 (r sin ) + (0) + (0) = 2 3r sin + 0 + 0 = 3
r sin r r sin
(c)
1 2
F = (r sin Fr ) + (r sin F ) + (rF )
r2 sin r
1 2
= (r sin r sin ) + (r sin r sin ) +
2
(r r cos )
r2 sin r
1 3 2 3 2
= (r sin ) + (r sin sin ) + (r cos )
r2 sin r
1 2 2
= 2
3r sin + r3 cos sin + 0 = 3 sin + r cot sin
r sin
r r r 2
sin
F = 2
r sin
Fr rF r2 sin F
r r r2 sin
= 2
r sin
r
r r 0 r sin 0
2
1 k
= 2 (0) (0) r + (r ) (0) r
r sin r
+ (0) (rk ) r2 sin
r
= 0 r + 0 + 0 = 0
(b)
r r r 2
sin
r r r 2
sin
1
1
F =
=
r2 sin
r
r2 sin
r
Fr rF r2 sin F
r2 cos r sin r2 sin sin2
1 2 3 2 2 3
= (r sin ) (r sin ) r + (r cos ) (r sin ) r
r2 sin r
+ (r sin ) (r2 cos ) r2 sin
r
1
2 2 2
= 3r sin cos + 0 r + 0 2r sin 3
r + sin + r 2
sin r sin
r2 sin
= 3 sin cos r 2 sin2 + (1 + r2 ) sin
Your solution
(a)
(1 + r2 )2
r, (iii) 2r sin 2 cos r + 2r cos 2 cos 2r cos sin (i) 4r3 r, (ii)
1 r2
Your solution
(b)
0,2r5 sin
Your solution
(d)