Coordinate Systems and Transformation

Electromagnetics
ELE 311 Fall 2015

Amer S. Zakaria
Department of Electrical Engineering
College of Engineering
American University of Sharjah

Based on Sadiku 6th edition book

supplementary material and class notes

Learning Objectives
Understand the differences between three
coordinate systems: Cartesian, Cylindrical,
and Spherical.
Represent vectors in any of the three
coordinate systems.
Transform points or vectors in space from
one coordinate system to the other.

Electromagnetics | Coordinate Systems and Transformation

Coordinate Systems

Coordinate Systems (1/2)

There are various ways to describe to location of a point
in space.
In geometry, a coordinate system is one way that uses
one or more numbers to uniquely specify that location.
Here, we are interested in three-dimensional orthogonal
coordinate systems:
Three-dimensional: Three surfaces intersect at the
point location.
Orthogonal: The surfaces are mutually perpendicular
to each other.
Electromagnetics | Coordinate Systems

Coordinate Systems (2/2)

In this course we are interested in three coordinate
systems:
Cartesian (Rectangular) Coordinates
Cylindrical (Circular) Coordinates
Spherical Coordinates
The choice of the coordinate system is based on the
problem at hand.
Regardless, the solution at the end is always the same;
after doing the proper coordinate transformation of
course!
Electromagnetics | Coordinate Systems

Cartesian Coordinate System

Ren Descartes
1596 - 1650

Cartesian Coordinate System

It consists of three perpendicular constant planes.

x-plane

y-plane

z-plane

Each plane defined by a unit vector to it.

Electromagnetics | Cartesian Coordinate System

Cartesian Coordinate System (cont.)

How a point is formed?

Two planes intersect to form a line

Line and third plane intersect to form a point.

A point uniquely defined by location of 3-planes: P(x, y, z).

Similarly a vector is defined using components in each plane
and the corresponding unit vector:
Electromagnetics | Cartesian Coordinate System

Differentials Elements
To perform integration and differentiation of vectors,
differential elements should be defined in

Length

Area

Which one to use?

Depends on the problem at hand.
Differential elements definitions depend on coordinate
system used.
Electromagnetics | Cartesian Coordinate System

Volume

Differentials Cartesian Coordinate System

Differential Length (or displacement)
Differential Area

Differential Volume

Electromagnetics | Cartesian Coordinate System

Cylindrical Coordinate System

Cylindrical Coordinate System

It consists of three perpendicular constant planes.

A cylindrical surface with

radius

Half plane with angle

from x-axis

z-plane

Each plane defined by a unit vector to it.

Electromagnetics | Cylindrical Coordinate System

Cylindrical Coordinate System (cont.)

Electromagnetics | Cylindrical Coordinate System

Cylindrical Coordinate System (cont.)

How a point is formed?

Two planes intersect to form a line

Line and third plane intersect to form a point.

A point uniquely defined by location of 3-planes: P(, , z).

Similarly a vector is defined using components in each plane
and the corresponding unit vector:
Electromagnetics | Cylindrical Coordinate System

Differentials Cylindrical Coordinate System

Differential Length (or displacement)
Differential Area

Differential Volume

Electromagnetics | Cylindrical Coordinate System

Point Location Transformations

Cartesian Cylindrical

Cylindrical Cartesian

Electromagnetics | Cylindrical Coordinate System

Unit Vector Transformations

Cylindrical Components of

Electromagnetics | Cylindrical Coordinate System

Cylindrical Components of

Vector Transformation Matrices

Cartesian Cylindrical

Cylindrical Cartesian

Electromagnetics | Cylindrical Coordinate System

Spherical Coordinate System

Spherical Coordinate System

It consists of three perpendicular constant planes.

A spherical plane with

radius r

Conical Surface with cone

angle with z-axis

Half plane with angle

from x-axis

Each plane defined by a unit vector to it.

Electromagnetics | Spherical Coordinate System

Spherical Coordinate System (cont.)

Electromagnetics | Spherical Coordinate System

Spherical Coordinate System (cont.)

How a point is formed?

Two planes intersect to form a line

Line and third plane intersect to form a point.

A point uniquely defined by location of 3-planes: P(r, , ).

Similarly a vector is defined using components in each plane
and the corresponding unit vector:
Electromagnetics | Spherical Coordinate System

Differentials Spherical Coordinate System

Differential Length (or displacement)
Differential Area

Differential Volume

Electromagnetics | Spherical Coordinate System

Point Location Transformations

Cartesian Spherical

Spherical Cartesian

Electromagnetics | Spherical Coordinate System

Vector Transformation Matrices

Cartesian Spherical

Spherical Cartesian

Electromagnetics | Spherical Coordinate System

Vector Algebra

Vector
Algebra

Given two vectors and , in order to perform vector algebra
operations like addition, dot product, cross product, etc.

They must be described in same coordinate system!

If they are not presented in the same coordinate system, transform
one vector to match the system of the other vector.
In general, if

Electromagnetics | Vector Algebra

Constant-Coordinate
Surfaces

Fixing one space variable in any of the coordinate systems, defines a surface.
A unit normal vector to surface n = constant is .
Examples:
Unit vectors is normal to rectangular plane
Unit vectors is normal to conical surface
Unit vectors is normal to cylindrical surface .
Intersecting two surfaces produces a line (RQ) normal to third surface.
Intersecting the third surface defines a point (P).

Electromagnetics | Vector Algebra

Normal
and Tangential Vectors

Given a vector , its normal component to a surface n is
The normal component is perpendicular to surface n.
The tangential component of to surface n is
The tangential component is parallel to surface n.
Tangential unit vector to surface n is

surface n in any
coordinate system
Electromagnetics | Vector Algebra

End of Coordinate Systems and Transformation