Coordinate System

Orthogonal coordinate systems

1.
2.
3.

The Cartesian (rectangular) coordinate system

The cylindrical coordinate system
The spherical coordinate system

 Cartesian coordinate system

^
^
^
^
^
^

dl dl x x dl y y dl z z dx x dy y dz z

z
lz

^
^
ds x x dl y dl z x dydz

dl

^
^
ds y y dl x dl z y dxdz

^
^
ds z z dl x dl y z dxdy

ly

lx
x

dv dxdydz

 Cartesian coordinate system

z

directions of area

sx
s

 Cylindrical coordinate system

z

r z

P(r1 , 1 , z1 )
^

z r
^

r r 0 r r 1

R1

^
^
^
A r Ar A z Az
^

A Ar2 A2 Az2
^
^
R1 r r1 z z1

z r

 the differential areas and volume

z
^

^
ds z rddr z
ds drdz

dsr rddz r

y
dr

rd

dv rddrdz

Example: cylindrical area

^

dsr rddz r

z
5

30

/3

30

/6

S rd dz 5 3 d

3
60

60

 Spherical coordinate system

^

r
^

r r 0 r r 1
^
^
^
A R AR A A

A AR2 A2 A2

 differential volume in Spherical coordinate system

^
^
^
dl R dl R dl dl
^

R dR Rd R sin d
^
^

dsR R dl dl R R 2 sin dd
^
^
ds dl R dl R sin dRd
^
^
ds dl dl R R Rdd

dv dRdl dl R 2 sin dRdd

 Examples
(1) Find the area of the strip

60 360 2
S dS R R sin dd
30 0

(2) A sphere of radius 2cm contains a

volume charge density v 4 cos 2
Find the total charge contained in the
sphere
Q dv v
2 / 100

180

260

180

260

dR d d v ( R 2 sin )

dRR 2 d d (4 cos 2 )(sin )

2 / 100

2 / 100

180

dRR

d (4 cos
0

260

)(sin ) d
0