Coordinate Systems

Course- Field Theory (ENEL2FT) (2023)

Course Lecturer- Dr. P. Kumar
Email- kumarp@ukzn.az.za
1
 Introduction
⇒The electromagnetic fields are generally the function of space and time.
⇒To describe the spatial behavior of electromagnetic fields the knowledge
of coordinates is required.
⇒Generally, orthogonal coordinate systems are used as the non-
orthogonal coordinate systems are complicated and difficult to use.
⇒In orthogonal coordinate systems, the coordinates are orthogonal to
each-other.
⇒The types of the popular orthogonal coordinate systems are:
- Rectangular coordinate system or Cartesian coordinate system
- Cylindrical coordinate system
- Spherical coordinate system
2
 Cartesian (Rectangular) Coordinate System
⇒In Cartesian coordinate system, the (𝑥𝑥, 𝑦𝑦, 𝑧𝑧) coordinates are used.
⇒−∞ < 𝑥𝑥 < ∞; −∞ < 𝑦𝑦 < ∞; −∞ < 𝑧𝑧 < ∞
⇒Note that the positive 𝑥𝑥-, 𝑦𝑦-, and 𝑧𝑧-directions are chosen such that they form a right-handed
system.
⇒Any point 𝑃𝑃 with Cartesian coordinates (𝐴𝐴1 , 𝐴𝐴2 , 𝐴𝐴3 ) can be represented as 𝑂𝑂𝑂𝑂=𝐴𝐴1 𝑥𝑥� +
𝐴𝐴2 𝑦𝑦� +𝐴𝐴3 𝑧𝑧̂
⇒The dot product, cross product, distance vector representation etc in rectangular coordinate
system have been discussed in previous section.
z

x
Fig. Rectangular coordinate system 3
 Cylindrical Coordinate System

⇒In Cylindrical coordinate system, the (𝜌𝜌, ∅, 𝑧𝑧) coordinates are used.
⇒𝜌𝜌 =radius of the cylinder (0 ≤ 𝜌𝜌 < ∞)
⇒∅ =azimuth angle (0 ≤ ∅ ≤ 2𝜋𝜋)
⇒𝑧𝑧 =same as in Cartesian coordinates
(−∞ < 𝑧𝑧 < ∞)
⇒Any point 𝑃𝑃 with Cylindrical coordinates
(𝐴𝐴1 , 𝐴𝐴2 , 𝐴𝐴3 ) can be represented as
� 3 𝑧𝑧,̂ where 𝜌𝜌,
𝑂𝑂𝑂𝑂=𝐴𝐴1 𝜌𝜌� + 𝐴𝐴2 ∅+𝐴𝐴 � 𝑧𝑧̂ are
� ∅,
unit vectors in ρ, ∅, 𝑧𝑧 coordinates, respectively.

Fig. Cylindrical coordinate system [1] 4

 Cylindrical Coordinate System (cont.)
Dot product
⇒𝜌𝜌.
� 𝜌𝜌= � ∅=
� ∅. � 𝑧𝑧.̂ 𝑧𝑧=1̂
⇒𝜌𝜌. � ∅.
� ∅= � 𝑧𝑧=
̂ 𝑧𝑧.̂ 𝜌𝜌=0
�
Cross product
� 𝑧𝑧̂
⇒𝜌𝜌� × ∅=
� × 𝑧𝑧=
⇒∅ ̂ 𝜌𝜌�
⇒𝑧𝑧̂ × 𝜌𝜌=
� ∅�

Fig. Cylindrical coordinate system [1]

5
 Cylindrical Coordinate System (cont.)
⇒In the study of electromagnetics, it is useful to be able to convert from one
coordinate system to another coordinate system.

Relationship with Cartesian coordinates

From figure-
𝑥𝑥 = 𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌, 𝑦𝑦 = 𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌
⇒𝜌𝜌 = 𝑥𝑥 2 + 𝑦𝑦 2
−1 𝑦𝑦
⇒∅ = 𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡
𝑥𝑥
⇒𝑧𝑧 = 𝑧𝑧

Fig. Relation between (x,y,z) and (ρ, φ, z)[1] 6

 Cylindrical Coordinate System (cont.)
Relationship with Cartesian coordinates (contd.)
=>Using dot product the conversion can be done as given below:
𝜌𝜌.
� 𝑥𝑥� = 𝑐𝑐𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜∅, 𝜌𝜌.
� 𝑦𝑦� = 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠∅, 𝜌𝜌.
� 𝑧𝑧̂ =0
� 𝑥𝑥� = −𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠∅, ∅.
∅. � 𝑦𝑦� = 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐∅, ∅.� 𝑧𝑧̂ =0
𝑧𝑧.̂ 𝑥𝑥� = 0, 𝑧𝑧.̂ 𝑦𝑦� = 0, 𝑧𝑧.̂ 𝑧𝑧̂ = 1
Cartesian to Cylindrical :
�
𝑥𝑥� = 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐∅𝜌𝜌� − 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠∅∅
�
𝑦𝑦� = 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠∅𝜌𝜌� + 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐∅∅
𝑧𝑧̂ = 𝑧𝑧̂
Cylindrical to Cartesian:
𝜌𝜌� = 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐∅𝑥𝑥� + 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠∅𝑦𝑦�
� = −𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠∅𝑥𝑥� + 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐∅𝑦𝑦�
∅
𝑧𝑧̂ = 𝑧𝑧̂
Fig. Cylindrical coordinate system [1]
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 Cylindrical Coordinate System (cont.)
From previous equations-
Cartesian to Cylindrical:
𝐴𝐴𝜌𝜌 𝑐𝑐𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜∅ 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠∅ 0 𝐴𝐴𝑥𝑥
𝐴𝐴∅ = −𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠∅ 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐∅ 0 𝐴𝐴𝑦𝑦
𝐴𝐴𝑧𝑧 0 0 1 𝐴𝐴𝑧𝑧
𝐴𝐴⃗ = 𝐴𝐴𝜌𝜌 𝜌𝜌+𝐴𝐴 � 𝑧𝑧 𝑧𝑧̂
� ∅ ∅+𝐴𝐴

Cylindrical to Cartesian:
𝐴𝐴𝑥𝑥 𝑐𝑐𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜∅ −𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠∅ 0 𝐴𝐴𝜌𝜌
𝐴𝐴𝑦𝑦 = 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠∅ 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐∅ 0 𝐴𝐴∅
𝐴𝐴𝑧𝑧 0 0 1 𝐴𝐴𝑧𝑧
𝐴𝐴⃗ = 𝐴𝐴𝑥𝑥 𝑥𝑥+𝐴𝐴 � 𝑧𝑧 𝑧𝑧̂ (convert ∅ in to x,y,z in the expression of 𝐴𝐴𝑥𝑥 and 𝐴𝐴𝑦𝑦 )
� 𝑦𝑦 𝑦𝑦+𝐴𝐴

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 Cylindrical Coordinate System (cont.)
𝑥𝑥 2
Example: Transform 𝐴𝐴⃗ = 𝑦𝑦𝑥𝑥� + 𝑥𝑥𝑦𝑦� + 𝑧𝑧̂ to cylindrical coordinates.
𝑥𝑥 2 +𝑦𝑦 2

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 Cylindrical Coordinate System (cont.)
Solution:
Since 𝑥𝑥 = 𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌, 𝑦𝑦 = 𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌 and 𝜌𝜌 = 𝑥𝑥 2 + 𝑦𝑦 2
(𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌)2
𝐴𝐴⃗ = 𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝑥𝑥� + 𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝑦𝑦� + 𝑧𝑧̂
𝜌𝜌
Using 𝑥𝑥� = 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐∅𝜌𝜌� − 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠∅∅�
�
𝑦𝑦� = 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠∅𝜌𝜌� + 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐∅
𝑧𝑧̂ = 𝑧𝑧̂
(𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌)2
� + 𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌(𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠∅𝜌𝜌� + 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐∅)
𝐴𝐴⃗ = 𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌(𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐∅𝜌𝜌� − 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠∅∅) � + 𝑧𝑧̂
𝜌𝜌
� + 𝜌𝜌𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐 2 ∅𝑧𝑧̂
𝐴𝐴⃗ = 2𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝜌𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐∅𝜌𝜌� + 𝜌𝜌(𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐 2 ∅ − 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠2 ∅)∅

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 Spherical Coordinate System
⇒In Spherical coordinate system, the
(r, 𝜃𝜃, ∅) coordinates are used.
⇒𝑟𝑟 =radius of the sphere (0 ≤ 𝑟𝑟 < ∞)
⇒𝜃𝜃 = elivation angle (0 ≤ 𝜃𝜃 ≤ 𝜋𝜋)
⇒∅ =azimuth angle (0 ≤ ∅ < 2𝜋𝜋)
⇒Any point 𝑃𝑃 with Spherical coordinates
(𝐴𝐴1 , 𝐴𝐴2 , 𝐴𝐴3 ) can be represented as
� where 𝑟𝑟,̂ 𝜃𝜃,
̂ 3 ∅,
𝑂𝑂𝑂𝑂=𝐴𝐴1 𝑟𝑟̂ + 𝐴𝐴2 𝜃𝜃+𝐴𝐴 ̂ ∅� are
unit vectors in r, 𝜃𝜃, ∅ coordinates,
respectively.
Fig. Spherical coordinate system [1]
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 Spherical Coordinate System (cont.)
Dot product
� ∅
̂ 𝜃𝜃̂ = ∅.
⇒𝑟𝑟.̂ 𝑟𝑟̂ = 𝜃𝜃. �=1
⇒𝑟𝑟.̂ 𝜃𝜃̂ = 𝜃𝜃.
̂ ∅� = ∅.
� 𝑟𝑟̂ = 0
Cross product
�
⇒𝑟𝑟̂ × 𝜃𝜃̂ = ∅
� = 𝑟𝑟̂
⇒𝜃𝜃̂ × ∅
� × 𝑟𝑟̂ = 𝜃𝜃̂
⇒∅

Fig. Spherical coordinate system [1]

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 Spherical Coordinate System (cont.)
Relation with Cartesian variables
From figure-
𝑥𝑥 = 𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝜃𝜃𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐, 𝑦𝑦 = 𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝜃𝜃𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠, 𝑧𝑧 = 𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟
⇒𝑟𝑟 = 𝑥𝑥 2 + 𝑦𝑦 2 + 𝑧𝑧 2
−1 𝑥𝑥 2 +𝑦𝑦 2
⇒𝜃𝜃 = 𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡
𝑧𝑧
𝑦𝑦
⇒∅ = 𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡−1
𝑥𝑥

Fig. Relation between (x,y,z), (r, θ, φ) and (ρ, φ, z) system [1]

13
 Spherical Coordinate System (cont.)
Using dot product-
𝑟𝑟.̂ 𝑥𝑥=
� 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝜃𝜃𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐∅, 𝑟𝑟.̂ 𝑦𝑦= ̂ cos𝜃𝜃
� 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝜃𝜃𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠∅, 𝑟𝑟.̂ 𝑧𝑧=
� 𝑥𝑥� = 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝜃𝜃𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐∅, 𝜃𝜃.
𝜃𝜃. � 𝑦𝑦� = 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝜃𝜃𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠∅, 𝜃𝜃.� 𝑧𝑧̂ = −sin𝜃𝜃
� 𝑥𝑥� = −𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠∅, ∅.
∅. � 𝑦𝑦� = 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐∅, ∅. � 𝑧𝑧̂ = 0

Cartesian to Spherical:
�
𝑥𝑥� = 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝜃𝜃𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐∅𝑟𝑟̂ + 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐∅𝜃𝜃� − 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠∅
�
𝑦𝑦� = 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝜃𝜃𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠∅𝑟𝑟̂ + 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠∅𝜃𝜃� + 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐∅∅
𝑧𝑧̂ = 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝜃𝜃 𝑟𝑟̂ − 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝜃𝜃𝜃𝜃�

Spherical to Cartesian:
𝑟𝑟̂ = 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝜃𝜃𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐∅𝑥𝑥� + 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝜃𝜃𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠∅𝑦𝑦+cos𝜃𝜃
� 𝑧𝑧̂
𝜃𝜃� = 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝜃𝜃𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐∅𝑥𝑥� + 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝜃𝜃𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠∅𝑦𝑦−sin𝜃𝜃
� 𝑧𝑧̂
� = −𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠∅𝑥𝑥� + 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐∅𝑦𝑦�
∅ Fig. Spherical coordinate system [1]
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 Spherical Coordinate System (cont.)
From previous equations-
Cartesian to Spherical:
𝐴𝐴𝑟𝑟 𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝜃𝜃𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐∅ 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠∅ 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐 𝐴𝐴𝑥𝑥
𝐴𝐴𝜃𝜃 = 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝜃𝜃𝜃𝜃𝜃𝜃𝜃𝜃∅ 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖∅ −𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 𝐴𝐴𝑦𝑦
𝐴𝐴∅ −𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠∅ 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐∅ 0 𝐴𝐴𝑧𝑧
𝐴𝐴⃗ = 𝐴𝐴𝑟𝑟 𝑟𝑟+𝐴𝐴 � ∅∅
̂ 𝜃𝜃 𝜃𝜃+𝐴𝐴 �

Spherical to Cartesian:
𝐴𝐴𝑥𝑥 𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝜃𝜃𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐∅ 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝜃𝜃𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐∅ −𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 𝐴𝐴𝑟𝑟
𝐴𝐴𝑦𝑦 = 𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝜃𝜃𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠∅ 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠∅ 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐 𝐴𝐴𝜃𝜃
𝐴𝐴𝑧𝑧 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐 −𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 0 𝐴𝐴∅
𝐴𝐴⃗ = 𝐴𝐴𝑥𝑥 𝑥𝑥+𝐴𝐴 � 𝑧𝑧 𝑧𝑧̂ (convert 𝜃𝜃and ∅ in to x,y,z in the expression of 𝐴𝐴𝑥𝑥 , 𝐴𝐴𝑦𝑦 and 𝐴𝐴𝑧𝑧 )
� 𝑦𝑦 𝑦𝑦+𝐴𝐴
15
 Spherical Coordinate System (cont.)
Example-
The position of a point 𝑃𝑃 in Spherical coordinates is (8, 1200 , 3300 ).
Specify its location in (a) in Cartesian coordinates, (b) in Cylindrical
coordinates.

16
 Spherical Coordinate System (cont.)
Solution-
(a) From the relations 𝑥𝑥 = 𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝜃𝜃𝜃𝜃𝜃𝜃𝜃𝜃𝜃, 𝑦𝑦 = 𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝜃𝜃𝜃𝜃𝜃𝜃𝜃𝜃𝜃, 𝑧𝑧 = 𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟
𝑥𝑥 = 8𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠120𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐330=6
𝑦𝑦 = 𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝜃𝜃𝜃𝜃𝜃𝜃𝜃𝜃𝜃 = 8𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠120𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠330 = −2 3,
𝑧𝑧 = 𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟𝑟 = 8𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐120 = −4
Hence the point in Cartesian coordinates is P(6, −2 3, -4).
−1 𝑦𝑦
(b) From the relations 𝜌𝜌 = 𝑥𝑥 + 𝑦𝑦 , ∅ = 𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡
2 2 , 𝑧𝑧 = 𝑧𝑧
𝑥𝑥

𝜌𝜌 = 62 + (−2 3)2 = 4 3
−1 −2 3
∅= 𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡𝑡
6
=3300
𝑧𝑧 =-4
Hence the point in cylindrical coordinates is P(4 3, 3300 , -4).
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 Distance between two points
• The distance (𝑑𝑑) between the two pints with position vectors 𝑟𝑟2 and
𝑟𝑟1 is given by:
𝑑𝑑 = 𝑟𝑟2 − 𝑟𝑟1
⇒𝑑𝑑 = 𝑥𝑥2 − 𝑥𝑥1 2 + 𝑦𝑦2 − 𝑦𝑦1 2 + 𝑧𝑧2 − 𝑧𝑧1 2 (in Cartesian)
⇒𝑑𝑑 = 𝜌𝜌22 + 𝜌𝜌12 − 2𝜌𝜌1 𝜌𝜌2 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐 ∅2 − ∅1 + 𝑧𝑧2 − 𝑧𝑧1 2 (in Cylindrical)
⇒𝑑𝑑 = 𝑟𝑟22 + 𝑟𝑟12 − 2𝑟𝑟1 𝑟𝑟2 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝜃𝜃2 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝜃𝜃1 − 2𝑟𝑟1 𝑟𝑟2 𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝜃𝜃2 𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝜃𝜃1 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐 ∅2 − ∅1
(in Spherical)

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 Constant-Coordinate Surfaces
• In various coordinate systems,
the surfaces can be generated by
keeping one variable constant.

Fig. Constant-coordinate surfaces in rectangular coordinates [1]

19
Constant-Coordinate Surfaces (cont.)

Fig. Constant-coordinate surfaces in cylindrical coordinates [1]

20
Constant-Coordinate Surfaces (cont.)

Fig. Constant-coordinate surfaces in spherical coordinates [1]

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 References
[1] M.N. Sadiku: Elements of Electromagnetics, Oxford University Press,
ISBN 0-19-510368-8
[2] D. K. Cheng: Field and Wave Electromagnetics, A-W Publishing
Company.

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