LECTURE 2:
COORDINATE SYSTEMS
AND TRANSFORMATION
ENGINEERING ELECTROMAGNETICS
TOPICS
o INTRODUCTION
o CARTESIAN COORDINATES
o CIRCULAR CYLINDRICAL COORDINATES
o SPHERICAL COORDINATES
o CONSTANT-COORDINATE SURFACES
INTRODUCTION
▪ In general, the physical quantities we shall be dealing with in EM are functions
of space and time.
▪ In order to describe the spatial variations of the quantities, we must be able
to define all points uniquely in space in a suitable manner. This requires using
an appropriate coordinate system.
▪ A point or vector can be represented in any curvilinear coordinate system,
which may be orthogonal or nonorthogonal.
▪ An orthogonal system is one in which the coordinate surfaces are mutually
perpendicular.
INTRODUCTION
▪ 3 PRIMARY COORDINATE SYSTEMS:
1. Rectangular
2. Cylindrical
3. Spherical
▪ Examples:
▪ Sheets – Rectangular
▪ Wires/Cables – Cylindrical
▪ Spheres - Circular
INTRODUCTION
▪ Orthogonal Coordinate Systems: (coordinates mutually perpendicular)
Rectangular Coordinates Cylindrical Coordinates Spherical Coordinates
P (x,y,z) P (ρ,φ, z) P (r, θ , φ)
z
z
z z
P(x,y,z) P(ρ , φ, z)
P(r, θ, Φ)
θ r
y
x ρ y y
x ,φ x Φ
CARTESIAN COORDINATES ( 𝑥 , 𝑦 , 𝑧 )
▪ A vector A in Cartesian (otherwise known as
rectangular) coordinates can be written as
where ax, ay, and az are unit vectors along
the x-, y-, and z-directions.
▪ The ranges of the coordinate variables x, y, and z are:
CARTESIAN COORDINATES ( 𝑥 , 𝑦 , 𝑧 )
CARTESIAN COORDINATES ( 𝑥 , 𝑦 , 𝑧 )
CIRCULAR CYLINDRICAL COORDINATES ( 𝜌, 𝜙, 𝑧)
▪ The circular cylindrical coordinate system is very convenient whenever we
are dealing with problems having cylindrical symmetry, such as dealing with
a coaxial transmission line.
▪ A point P in cylindrical coordinates is represented as
(𝜌, 𝜙, 𝑧).
▪ 𝝆 is the radius of the cylinder passing through P or the
radial distance from the z-axis;
▪ 𝝓, called the azimuthal angle, is measured from the
x−axis in the xy−plane;
▪ z is the same as in the Cartesian system.
▪ The ranges of the variables are
CIRCULAR CYLINDRICAL COORDINATES ( 𝜌, 𝜙, 𝑧)
▪ A vector A in cylindrical coordinates can be
written as
where a𝜌, a𝜙, and az are unit vectors along
the 𝜌-, 𝜙 -, and z-directions.
CIRCULAR CYLINDRICAL COORDINATES ( 𝜌, 𝜙, 𝑧)
▪ Notice that the unit vectors a 𝜌 , a 𝜙 , and az are
mutually perpendicular because our coordinate
system is orthogonal; Hence,
CIRCULAR CYLINDRICAL COORDINATES ( 𝜌, 𝜙, 𝑧)
▪ The relationship between the variables (x, y, z)
of the Cartesian Coordinate System and those
of the cylindrical system ( 𝜌, 𝜙, 𝑧 ) are easily
obtained from:
CIRCULAR CYLINDRICAL COORDINATES ( 𝜌, 𝜙, 𝑧)
▪ The relationship between (Ax, A, Az) and (A𝜌, 𝐴𝜙, 𝐴𝑧) are obtained from:
CIRCULAR CYLINDRICAL COORDINATES ( 𝜌, 𝜙, 𝑧)
▪ In matrix form, the transformation of vector A from (Ax, A, Az) to (A𝜌, 𝐴𝜙, 𝐴𝑧) is
▪ The transformation of vector A from (A𝜌, 𝐴𝜙, 𝐴𝑧) to (Ax, A, Az) is obtained as
SPHERICAL COORDINATES (𝑟, 𝜃 , 𝜙)
▪ The spherical coordinate system is most appropriate when one is dealing with
problems having a degree of spherical symmetry.
▪ A point P can be represented as (𝑟, 𝜃, 𝜙).
▪ r is defined as the distance from the origin to
point P or the radius of a sphere centered at the
origin and passing through P;
▪ 𝜽 (called the colatitude) is the angle between
the z-axis and the position vector of P; and
▪ 𝝓 is measured from the x-axis (the same
azimuthal angle in cylindrical coordinates).
▪ The ranges of the variables are
SPHERICAL COORDINATES (𝑟, 𝜃 , 𝜙)
▪ A vector A in spherical coordinates may be written as
where a𝑟, a𝜃 , and a𝜙 are unit vectors along the
𝜌-, 𝜙 -, and z-directions.
SPHERICAL COORDINATES (𝑟, 𝜃 , 𝜙)
▪ Notice that the unit vectors a 𝑟 , a 𝜃 , and a 𝜙 are
mutually perpendicular; Hence,
SPHERICAL COORDINATES (𝑟, 𝜃 , 𝜙)
▪ The space variables (x, y, z) in Cartesian
Coordinates can be related to variables
(𝑟, 𝜃, 𝜙) of a spherical coordinate system.
SPHERICAL COORDINATES (𝑟, 𝜃 , 𝜙)
▪ The components of vector A = (Ax, A, Az) and A = (A𝑟, 𝐴𝜃, 𝐴𝜙) are related by:
SPHERICAL COORDINATES (𝑟, 𝜃 , 𝜙)
▪ In matrix form, the transformation of vector A from (Ax, A, Az) to (A𝑟, 𝐴𝜃, 𝐴𝜙) is
▪ The transformation of vector A from (A𝑟, 𝐴𝜃, 𝐴𝜙) to (Ax, A, Az) is obtained as
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RECTANGULAR, CYLINDRICAL AND SPHERICAL COOR DINATES
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN RECTANGULAR, CYLINDRICAL AND SPHERICAL COOR DINATES
Example 1:
Example 1:
Example 1:
Example 1:
Example 1:
Example 2:
Example 2:
Example 2:
Example 2:
Example 2:
Example 2:
Example 2:
CONSTANT COORDINATE SURFACES
▪ Surfaces in Cartesian, cylindrical, or spherical coordinate systems are easily
generated by keeping one of the coordinate variables constant and allowing the
other two to vary.
Example 3:
Example 3:
Example 3:
