Scribd
Upload
17 views2 pages

Formulas

This document provides formulas for coordinate systems and vector derivatives in rectangular (Cartesian), spherical, and cylindrical coordinates. It defines coordinate relations, line and volume elements, gradient, divergence, curl, and Laplacian operators for each system.

Uploaded by

Rohit Raj
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
17 views2 pages

Formulas

This document provides formulas for coordinate systems and vector derivatives in rectangular (Cartesian), spherical, and cylindrical coordinates. It defines coordinate relations, line and volume elements, gradient, divergence, curl, and Laplacian operators for each system.

Uploaded by

Rohit Raj
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

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

You might also like