M. M.

ALI

COORDINATE SYSTEM

Introduction to three dimensional coordinate systems

Electromagnetics deals with vector fields which are easy to handle when they are
resolved into components along three mutually perpendicular coordinates/directions.
Cartesian or rectangular, Cylindrical, and Spherical coordinate systems are most
commonly used coordinate systems to specify the lengths, directions, projections, angles
or components of a vector accurately. Therefore, before going to main text of
electromagnetics, we will discuss first the coordinate systems in brief.

Cartesian Coordinate System

The Cartesian or rectangular coordinate system is formed by three mutually

perpendicular straight lines. These are called the x, y, and z axes. Any point P(x, y, z) in
space can be defined uniquely by the scalar projections x, y, and z of the position vector r
of the point P on the three axes as shown in Fig. 1.1(a). Here, ax, ay, and az are unit
vectors used to indicate the directions of the components of any vector along the x, y, and
z axes, respectively. A differential volume dv=dxdydz can be obtained by six differential
planes/surfaces at x, x+dx, y, y+dy, z, z+dz as illustrated in Fig. 1.1(b). Each surface is
defined by a unit vector normal to it.

z-axis

y-axis

x-axis

(a) (b)

(c)
Fig. 1.1
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Thus the differential surfaces in the positive direction of the unit vectors are, respectively,
dsx=dydz ax, dsy=dzdx ay and dsz=dxdy az as shown in Fig. 1.1(c). The differential length
from P to Q in vector form is obtained from the difference between the position vector of
point Q and that of point P, and is given as dL=dx ax+dy ay +dz az.

Cylindrical Coordinate System

Any point in this system is specified by assigning its coordinates (ρ, φ, z) as illustrated in
Fig. 1.2 (a). Here ρ is the perpendicular distance of the point from z-axis, φ is the angle of
the plane containing the point and the z axis and is measured from the x axis in the anti
clockwise direction and z is the perpendicular distance of the point along z axis from the
xy plane. P may also be obtained from the intersection of ρ=ρ1 plane, φ=φ1 plane, and
z=z1 plane as shown in Fig. 1.2 (b).

(ρ, φ, z)

(a) (b)

(c) (d)
Fig. 1.2

A differential volume dv= ρdρdφdz is formed by the surfaces at ρ, ρ+dρ, φ, φ+dφ, z and
z+dz as illustrated in Fig. 1.2 (c). Thus differential surfaces in the positive direction of the
unit vectors aρ, aφ and az.are, respectively, dsρ = ρdφdz aρ, dsφ= dρdz aφ and dsz= ρdρdφ
az. The elemental length from P(ρ, φ, z) to Q(ρ+dρ, φ+dφ, z+dz) in vector form is dL= dρ
aρ + ρdφ aφ +dz az.
 M. M. ALI

Spherical Coordinate System

A point P in space in spherical coordinate system is represented in terms of r, θ and φ as

shown in Fig. 1.3 (a). Here r is the radial distance from the origin to the point P, θ is the
angle that r makes with the positive z axis, and φ is the angle of the plane containing the
point and the z axis and is measured from the x axis in the anti clockwise direction.

(a) (b) (c)

Fig. 1.3

Six differential surfaces at r, r+dr, θ, θ+dθ, φ and φ+dφ formed a differential volume dv=
r2sinθ drdθdφ as illustrated in Fig. 1.3 (b). The differential surfaces in the positive
direction of the unit vectors ar, aθ and aφ.are, respectively, dsr = r2sinθdθdφ ar, dsθ= r
sinθdrdφ aθ and dsφ= rdrdθ aφ as shown in Fig. 13 (c). The elemental length from P(r, θ,
φ) to Q(r+dr, θ+dθ, φ+dφ) in vector form is dL= dr ar + rdθ aθ + r sinθ dφ aφ.

Transformation between Coordinate Systems

Sometimes it is easy to handle the problem of electromagnetic field in one coordinate
system but desirable to have an answer in other coordinate system. The following
discussion on transformation between the coordinate systems, therefore, plays an
important role in this subject. The transformation system involves two steps: (i) changing
of independents variables and (ii) changing of vector components.

(a) Transformation between Cartesian & Cylindrical Coordinate System

The coordinates of a point P in both Cartesian and Cylindrical coordinate systems are
shown in Fig. 2.1 (a).
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z-axis P(x,y,z)
az P(ρ, φ,z)

φ aφ
aρ

y
x ρ y-axis

(a) (b)
x-axis Fig. 2.1

The relation among the independent variables is therefore:

Cartesian to Cylindrical Cylindrical to Cartesian

ρ=√(x2 + y2) x= ρ cos φ
φ= tan-1(y/x) y= ρ sin φ
z=z z=z

If a vector A=Aρ aρ + Aφ aφ + Az az is given in cylindrical coordinate system, it can be

expressed in the rectangular coordinate system as A=Ax ax + Ay ay + Az az. The vector
components Ax, Ay and Az can be obtained in terms of the vector components and
independent variables of cylindrical system by dot multiplying the vector A in both
systems by ax, ay, and az, respectively.

(Ax ax + Ay ay + Az az) • ax = (Aρ aρ + Aφ aφ + Az az) • ax

or Ax= (Aρ aρ + Aφ aφ + Az az) • ax
From Fig. 2.1(b), we have
aρ=cos φ ax+ sin φ ay and aφ= - sin φ ax+ cos φ ay
Hence, aρ • ax= cos φ, aφ • ax= - sin φ, and az • ax= 0.
∴ Ax= Aρ cos φ - Aφ sin φ ............................................................................(2.1)
Ay can be obtained from
(Ax ax + Ay ay + Az az) • ay = (Aρ aρ + Aφ aφ + Az az) • ay
or Ay= (Aρ aρ + Aφ aφ + Az az) • ay
Now,
aρ • ay= sin φ, aφ • ay= cos φ, and az • ay= 0.
∴ Ay= Aρ sin φ + Aφ cos φ ............................................................................(2.2)
And Az can be obtained from
(Ax ax + Ay ay + Az az) • az = (Aρ aρ + Aφ aφ + Az az) • az
or Az= (Aρ aρ + Aφ aφ + Az az) • az
Hence,
aρ • az= 0, aφ • az= 0, az • az= 1.
∴ Az= Az .........................................................................................................(2.3)
 M. M. ALI

Similarly, the vector components Aρ, Aφ and Az can be obtained in terms of the vector
components and independent variables of Cartesian system by dot multiplying the vector
A in both systems by aρ, aφ, and az, respectively.

(Aρ aρ + Aφ aφ + Az az) • aρ =(Ax ax + Ay ay + Az az) • aρ

or Aρ =(Ax ax + Ay ay + Az az) • aρ
= Ax cos φ + Ay sin φ = Ax (x/(x2 + y2)1/2) + Ay (y/(x2 + y2)1/2) .............(2.4)
Aφ can be obtained from
(Aρ aρ + Aφ aφ + Az az) • aφ =(Ax ax + Ay ay + Az az) • aφ
or Aφ =(Ax ax + Ay ay + Az az) • aφ
= -Ax sin φ + Ay cos φ = -Ax (y/(x2 + y2)1/2) + Ay (x/(x2 + y2)1/2) .............(2.5)
Az can be obtained from
(Aρ aρ + Aφ aφ + Az az) • az =(Ax ax + Ay ay + Az az) • az
or Az =(Ax ax + Ay ay + Az az) • az = Az ............................................................(2.6)

The result of vector transformation from Cartesian to Cylindrical and vice-versa are
summarized in the following table.

Cartesian to Cylindrical Cylindrical to Cartesian

Aρ= Ax (x/(x2 + y2)1/2) + Ay (y/(x2 + y2)1/2) Ax= Aρ cos φ - Aφ sin φ
Aφ= -Ax (y/(x2 + y2)1/2) + Ay (x/(x2 + y2)1/2) Ay= Aρ sin φ + Aφ cos φ
Az = Az Az = Az

(b) Transformation between Cartesian & Spherical Coordinate System

From the projection of r on the z axis and onto the xy-plane as shown in Fig. 2.2, we have

Fig. 2.2
x=r sinθ cosφ, y= r sinθ sinφ and z=r cosθ.
The relation among the independent variables is therefore:

Cartesian to Spherical Spherical to Cartesian

r=√(x2 + y2 +z2) x= r sin θ cos φ
θ= cos-1(z/√(x2 + y2 +z2)) y= r sin θ sin φ
φ=tan-1(y/x) z= r cos θ
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900-θ

Fig. 2.3
From Fig. 2.3, we have
ar =sinθ aρ+ cosθ az=sinθ(cos φ ax+ sin φ ay)+ cosθ az= r/r=(xax+yay+zaz)/(x2+y2+z2)1/2
aθ = cosθ aρ - sinθ az= cosθ(cos φ ax+ sin φ ay) - sinθ az and
aφ= - sin φ ax+ cos φ ay

Now if a vector A=Ar ar + Aθ aθ + Aφ aφ is given in spherical coordinate system, it can be

expressed in the rectangular coordinate system as A=Ax ax + Ay ay + Az az. The vector
components Ax, Ay and Az can be obtained in terms of the vector components and
independent variables of cylindrical system by dot multiplying the vector A in both
systems by ax, ay, and az, respectively.

(Ax ax + Ay ay + Az az) • ax = (Ar ar + Aθ aθ + Aφ aφ) • ax

or Ax= (Ar ar + Aθ aθ + Aφ aφ) • ax
Hence,
ar • ax= { sinθ(cos φ ax+ sin φ ay)+ cosθ az } • ax = sin θ cos φ
aθ • ax={ cosθ(cos φ ax+ sin φ ay) - sinθ az} • ax=cos θ cos φ
aφ • ax= - sin φ.
∴ Ax= Ar sin θ cos φ+Aθ cos θ cos φ - Aφ sin φ.........................................(2.7)
Ay can be obtained from
(Ax ax + Ay ay + Az az) • ay = (Ar ar + Aθ aθ + Aφ aφ) • ay
or Ay= (Ar ar + Aθ aθ + Aφ aφ) • ay
Now,
ar • ay= { sinθ(cos φ ax+ sin φ ay)+ cosθ az } • ay = sin θ sin φ
aθ • ay={ cosθ(cos φ ax+ sin φ ay) - sinθ az} • ay =cos θ sin φ
aφ • ay= cos φ.
∴ Ay= Ar sin θ sin φ+Aθ cos θ sin φ + Aφ cos φ.........................................(2.8)
And Az can be obtained from
(Ax ax + Ay ay + Az az) • az = (Ar ar + Aθ aθ + Aφ aφ) • az
or Az= (Ar ar + Aθ aθ + Aφ aφ) • az
Now,
ar • az= { sinθ(cos φ ax+ sin φ ay)+ cosθ az } • az = cos θ
aθ • az={ cosθ(cos φ ax+ sin φ ay) - sinθ az} • az = - sin θ
aφ • az= 0.
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∴ Az= Ar cos θ - Aθ sin θ...........................................................................(2.9)

Similarly the vector components Ar, Aθ and Aφ can be obtained in terms of the vector
components and independent variables of catesian system by dot multiplying the vector A
in both systems by ar, aθ, and aφ, respectively.

(Ar ar + Aθ aθ + Aφ aφ) • ar =(Ax ax + Ay ay + Az az) • ar

or Ar=(Ax ax + Ay ay + Az az) • ar
= Ax sin θ cos φ + Ay sin θ sin φ + Az cos θ= Ax (x/r)+ Ay (y/r)+ Az(z/r)
= Ax (x/(x2 + y2 +z2)1/2) + Ay (y/( x2 + y2 +z2)1/2) + Az(z/(x2 + y2 +z2)1/2)..........(2.10)
Aθ can be obtained from
(Ar ar + Aθ aθ + Aφ aφ) • aθ =(Ax ax + Ay ay + Az az) • aθ
or Aθ=(Ax ax + Ay ay + Az az) • aθ
= Ax cos θ cos φ + Ay cos θ sin φ - Az sin θ
= Ax (zx/((x2 + y2)1/2 (x2 + y2 +z2)1/2)) + Ay (zy/((x2 + y2)1/2 ( x2 + y2 +z2)1/2)) - Az ((x2
+ y2)1/2/(x2 + y2 +z2)1/2))............................................(2.11)
Aφ can be obtained from
(Ar ar + Aθ aθ + Aφ aφ) • aφ =(Ax ax + Ay ay + Az az) • aφ
or Aφ=(Ax ax + Ay ay + Az az) • aφ
= -Ax sin φ + Ay cos φ
= - Ax (y/(x2 + y2)1/2) + Ay (x/(x2 + y2)1/2) ....................(2.12)

The result of vector transformation from Cartesian to spherical and vice-versa are
summarized in the following table.

Cartesian to Spherical Spherical to Cartesian

Ar= Ax (x/(x2 + y2 +z2)1/2) + Ay (y/( x2 + y2 Ax= Ar sin θ cos φ+Aθ cos θ cos φ - Aφ
+z2)1/2) + Az(z/(x2 + y2 +z2)1/2) sin φ
Aθ= Ax (zx/((x2 + y2)1/2 (x2 + y2 +z2)1/2)) + Ay= Ar sin θ sin φ+Aθ cos θ sin φ + Aφ
Ay (zy/((x2 + y2)1/2 ( x2 + y2 +z2)1/2)) - Az cos φ
((x2 + y2)1/2/(x2 + y2 +z2)1/2)) Az= A r cos θ - Aθ sin θ
Aφ=- Ax (y/(x2 + y2)1/2) + Ay (x/(x2 + y2)1/2)

Divergence theorem: ∫ A • ds = ∫ (∇ • A)dv

s v

Stocks theorem: ∫ A • dl = ∫ (∇ × A) • ds
l s