18EE240 -ELECTRO MAGNETIC FIELDS

Vectors, Vector Fields and Coordinate

Systems
M.Varatharajan
Assistant Professor
Department of EEE
Thiagarajar College of Engineering
Madurai

1-1
 Vector Addition

Associative Law:

Distributive Law:

1-2
Rectangular Coordinate System

1-3
Point Locations in Rectangular Coordinates

1-4
Differential Line, Differential Surface &
Differential Volume Element

1-5
Differential elements in rectangular
coordinate systems

1-6
Summary

1-7
Orthogonal Vector Components

1-8
Orthogonal Unit Vectors

1-9
 Vector Representation in Terms of
Orthogonal Rectangular Components

1-10
 Vector Expressions in Rectangular
Coordinates

General Vector, B:

Magnitude of B:

Unit Vector in the

Direction of B:

1-11
Example

1-12
 Vector Field
We are accustomed to thinking of a specific vector:

A vector field is a function defined in space that has magnitude

and direction at all points:

where r = (x,y,z)

1-14
 Example Vector fields

Air flow over a tube

Tornado

Source: http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~jkh/462_s07/24_visualization.pdf
1-15
 The Dot Product

Commutative Law:

1-16
 Vector Projections Using the Dot Product

B • a gives the component of B (B • a) a gives the vector component

in the horizontal direction of B in the horizontal direction

1-17
Projection of a vector on another
vector
 Operational Use of the Dot Product

Given

Find

where we have used:

Note also:

1-19
Cross Product

1-20
 Operational Definition of the Cross Product in
Rectangular Coordinates

Begin with:

where
Therefore:

Or…

1-21
Vector Product or Cross Product
 Constant coordinate surfaces-
Cartesian system
 If we keep one of the coordinate
variables constant and allow the
other two to vary, constant
coordinate surfaces are generated
in rectangular, cylindrical and
spherical coordinate systems.
 We can have infinite planes:
X=constant,
Y=constant,
Z=constant
 These surfaces are perpendicular to x, y and z axes respectively.
1-23
 Constant coordinate surfaces-
Cartesian system
 If we keep one of the coordinate
variables constant and allow the
other two to vary, constant
coordinate surfaces are generated
in rectangular, cylindrical and
spherical coordinate systems.
 We can have infinite planes:
X=constant,
Y=constant,
Z=constant
 These surfaces are perpendicular to x, y and z axes respectively.
1-24
 Constant coordinate surfaces-
cylindrical system
 Orthogonal surfaces in cylindrical
coordinate system can be generated as
ρ=constnt
Φ=constant
z=constant
 ρ=constant is a circular cylinder,
 Φ=constant is a semi infinite plane with
its edge along z axis
 z=constant is an infinite plane as in the
rectangular system.

1-25
Cylindrical Coordinate Systems

1-26
Cylindrical Coordinate Systems

1-27
Cylindrical Coordinate Systems

1-28
Cylindrical Coordinate Systems

1-29
Differential Displacement, Differential Surface &
Differential Volume in Cylindrical Coordinates

Differential Displacement

Differential Normal Area

dV = dddz
1-30
 Point Transformations in Cylindrical
Coordinates

Consider the quadrants

1-31
Quadrants to consider in tan-1

1-32
Dot Products of Unit Vectors in Cylindrical and
Rectangular Coordinate Systems

1-33
Example 1

1-34
Example 2

1-35
1-36
 Example 3
Transform the vector, into cylindrical coordinates:

Start with:

Then:

1-37
 Example 3: cont.

Finally:
Spherical Coordinates

1-39
Spherical Coordinates

1-40
 Constant coordinate surfaces-
Spherical system
 Orthogonal surfaces in spherical
coordinate system can be generated
as
r=constant
θ=constant
Φ=constant

 r=constant is a sphere with its centre at the origin,

 θ =constant is a circular cone with z axis as its axis and origin at
the vertex,

 Φ =constant is a semi infinite plane as in the cylindrical system.

1-41
 Spherical Coordinates

Correction: 0 <= ϕ < 2π

(i.e. ϕ value can be 0 also) 1-42
Spherical Coordinates

1-43
Spherical Coordinates

1-44
Spherical Coordinates

Point P has coordinates

Specified by P(r)

1-45
 Differential Surface &
Differential Volume in Spherical Coordinates

dV = r2sindrdd

1-46
Differential elements in Spherical
coordinate systems

1-47
Dot Products of Unit Vectors in the Spherical
and Rectangular Coordinate Systems

1-48
Example: Vector Component Transformation
Transform the field, , into spherical coordinates and components

1-49