Lecture 1

Monday, 2/1/2012
|
u
z (k)
r

c
o
s
u

P(x,y,z)
P(r, u, |)
Spherical coordinates (r, u, |)
x = r sinu cos|
y = r sinu sin|
z = r cosu

|
u
z (k)
r

c
o
s
u

P(r, u, |)
u - Polar Angle
| - Azimuthal Angle

|
u
z (k)
c
o
s
u

90u
s
i
n
u

u
|
r
.
.
u
.
|
.
|
x
y
z
r
Spherical coordinates UNIT vectors
Spherical coordinates UNIT vectors
Unit vectors in Cartesian coordinate are constant vectors (unit
magnitude and constant direction)

However, unit vectors in other coordinate systems (spherical,
cylindrical and polar) are NOT constant vectors (direction is NOT
fixed)

Hence they cannot be used inside differentiation and integration
Corresponding vectors has to be converted into Cartesian vectors
before differentiation and integration

Eg.;

Then
Let be the position vector of a particle in POLAR coordinates

Now
Similarly
(1) becomes
For circular motion, and hence
is the tangential velocity.
The first term is the tangential acceleration and the second term is the centripetal
acceleration (directed towards the centre) needed for circular motion
Spherical Coordinates
y
x
z
d|
|
dr
du
u
r
r sinu
r sinu d|
r du
Length element dl
Volume element dV
dV = r
2
sinu dr du d|
Area element da
(r = constant surface)
(u = constant surface)
(| = constant surface)
AREA element da
Area element da
(r = constant surface)
(u = constant surface)
(| = constant surface)
u
|
r
.
y
z
r
u
|
.
u
x
y
z
r
z
u
|
.
|
.
|
x
r
x = cos|
y = sin|
z = z

cylindrical coordinates (, |, z)
z
.
|

.
.
|
.
|
x
y
z

z
P(, |,z)

s 0 s
| s 0 s 2t
z s 0 s

z 0, polar coordinates

z
.
|

.
.
|
x
y
z

z
P(, |,z)

cylindrical coordinates (, |, z )
d
d|
dz
Length element dl
dl = d + d| + dz
.
|
.
z
.
Volume element dV
dV = d d| dz
Area element da = d| dz ( = constant surface)
= | d dz (| = constant surface)
.

.
= d d| (z = constant surface) z
.