Coordinate Systems and
Transformation-2
Spherical Coordinates
Week 2
Lecture 2
2.4 Spherical Coordinates (𝑟, 𝜃, 𝛷)
• The spherical coordinate system is convenient whenever
dealing with spherical symmetry
2.4 Spherical Coordinates (𝑟, 𝜃, 𝛷)
• The spherical coordinate system is
convenient whenever dealing with
spherical symmetry
• A point P in spherical coordinates
is represented as (r, 𝜃, 𝛷)
FIGURE 2.4 Point P and unit vectors in spherical coordinates.
2.4 Spherical Coordinates (𝑟, 𝜃, 𝛷)
• The range of variables are
• 0≤𝑟<∞
• 0≤𝜃≤𝜋
• 0 ≤ 𝛷 < 2𝜋
FIGURE 2.4 Point P and unit vectors in spherical coordinates.
2.4 Spherical Coordinates (𝑟, 𝜃, 𝛷)
• Unit vector of Spherical Coordinates
(ar,a𝜽,a𝜱 )
• A vector A in Spherical coordinates
written as A = Arar + A𝜽 a𝜽 +A𝛷 a𝜱
ar ar = a𝜽 a𝜽 = aΦ a Φ = 1
ar a𝜽 = a𝜽 aΦ = aΦ ar = 0
ar× a𝜽 = aΦ
a𝜽 × aΦ = ar
aΦ × ar = a𝜽
FIGURE 2.4 Point P and unit vectors in spherical coordinates.
2.4 Spherical Coordinates (𝑟, 𝜃, 𝛷)
• Relationship between (𝑟, 𝜃, 𝛷) and (x,y,z)
• r= x2 + y2 + z2
x2 + y2
• 𝜃 = tan−1
z
y
• 𝛷 = tan −1
x
FIGURE 2.5 Relationships between space variables (x, y, z), (r, θ, ɸ), and (ρ, ɸ, z).
2.4 Spherical Coordinates (𝑟, 𝜃, 𝛷)
• Relationship between (x,y,z) and (𝑟, 𝜃, 𝛷)
• x = rsin 𝜃 cos 𝛷
• y = rsin 𝜃 sin 𝛷
• z = rcos 𝜃
FIGURE 2.5 Relationships between space variables (x, y, z), (r, θ, ɸ), and (ρ, ɸ, z).
2.4 Spherical Coordinates (𝑟, 𝜃, 𝛷)
• The relation ship between (ax,ay,az) and (ar,a𝜃,a𝛷 )
• ax = sin 𝜃 cos 𝛷ar + cos 𝜃 cos 𝛷a𝜃 - sin 𝛷a𝛷
• ay = sin 𝜃 sin 𝛷ar + cos 𝜃 sin 𝛷a𝜃 + cos 𝛷a𝛷
• az = cos 𝜃ar - sin 𝜃a𝜃
ax sin 𝜃 cos 𝛷 cos 𝜃 cos 𝛷 − sin 𝛷 ar
ay = sin 𝜃 sin 𝛷 cos 𝜃 sin 𝛷 cos 𝛷 a𝜃
az cos 𝜃 − sin 𝜃 0 a𝛷
FIGURE 2.4 Point P and unit vectors in spherical coordinates.
2.4 Spherical Coordinates (𝑟, 𝜃, 𝛷)
• The relation ship between (ar,a𝜃,a𝛷 ) and (ax,ay,az)
• ar = sin 𝜃 cos 𝛷ax + sin 𝜃 sin 𝛷ay + cos 𝜃az
• a𝜽 = cos 𝜃 cos 𝛷ax + cos 𝜃 sin 𝛷ay - sin 𝜃az
• a𝜱 = −sin 𝛷ax + cos 𝛷ay
ar sin 𝜃 cos 𝛷 sin 𝜃 sin 𝛷 cos 𝜃 ax
a𝜃 = cos 𝜃 cos 𝛷 cos 𝜃 sin 𝛷 − sin 𝜃 ay
a𝛷 −sin 𝛷 cos 𝛷 0 az
FIGURE 2.4 Point P and unit vectors in spherical coordinates.
2.4 Spherical Coordinates (𝑟, 𝜃, 𝛷)
• In matrix form, transformation of Vector A from (Ax,Ay,Az) to
(Ar,A𝜃,A𝛷) a x sin 𝜃 cos 𝛷 cos 𝜃 cos 𝛷 − sin 𝛷 ar
ay = sin 𝜃 sin 𝛷 cos 𝜃 sin 𝛷 cos 𝛷 a𝜃
az cos 𝜃 − sin 𝜃 0 a𝛷
A𝑟 sin 𝜃 cos 𝛷 sin 𝜃 sin 𝛷 cos 𝜃 A𝑥
A𝜃 = cos 𝜃 cos 𝛷 cos 𝜃 sin 𝛷 − sin 𝜃 A𝑦
A𝛷 − sin 𝛷 cos 𝛷 0 Az
2.4 Spherical Coordinates (𝑟, 𝜃, 𝛷)
• In matrix form, transformation of Vector A from (Ar,A𝜃,A𝛷) to
(Ax,Ay,Az) a a𝑥
𝑟 sin 𝜃 cos 𝛷 sin 𝜃 sin 𝛷 cos 𝜃
a𝜃 = cos 𝜃 cos 𝛷 cos 𝜃 sin 𝛷 − sin 𝜃 a𝑦
a𝛷 − sin 𝛷 cos 𝛷 0 az
Ax sin 𝜃 cos 𝛷 cos 𝜃 cos 𝛷 − sin 𝛷 Ar
Ay = sin 𝜃 sin 𝛷 cos 𝜃 sin 𝛷 cos 𝛷 A𝜃
Az cos 𝜃 − sin 𝜃 0 A𝛷
2.4 Spherical Coordinates (𝑟, 𝜃, 𝛷)
• In matrix form, transformation of unit vector and Vector A
ax sin 𝜃 cos 𝛷 cos 𝜃 cos 𝛷 − sin 𝛷 ar Ax sin 𝜃 cos 𝛷 cos 𝜃 cos 𝛷 − sin 𝛷 Ar
ay = sin 𝜃 sin 𝛷 cos 𝜃 sin 𝛷 cos 𝛷 a𝜃 Ay = sin 𝜃 sin 𝛷 cos 𝜃 sin 𝛷 cos 𝛷 A𝜃
az cos 𝜃 − sin 𝜃 0 a𝛷 Az cos 𝜃 − sin 𝜃 0 A𝛷
a𝑟 sin 𝜃 cos 𝛷 sin 𝜃 sin 𝛷 cos 𝜃 a𝑥 A𝑟 sin 𝜃 cos 𝛷 sin 𝜃 sin 𝛷 cos 𝜃 A𝑥
a𝜃 = cos 𝜃 cos 𝛷 cos 𝜃 sin 𝛷 − sin 𝜃 a𝑦 A𝜃 = cos 𝜃 cos 𝛷 cos 𝜃 sin 𝛷 − sin 𝜃 A𝑦
a𝛷 − sin 𝛷 cos 𝛷 0 az A𝛷 − sin 𝛷 cos 𝛷 0 Az
2.4 Spherical Coordinates (𝑟, 𝜃, 𝛷)
• Example 2.1 Give point P (-2,6,3) and Vector A = yax + (x+z)ay, express P and A in
spherical coordinates. Evaluate A at p in the Spherical systems
