Vector Calculus

Vector Calculus

COORDINATE SYSTEMS

• RECTANGULAR or Cartesian
• CYLINDRICAL Choice is based on
symmetry of problem
• SPHERICAL

Examples:
Sheets - RECTANGULAR
Wires/Cables - CYLINDRICAL
Spheres - SPHERICAL
Cylindrical Symmetry Spherical Symmetry
Cartesian Coordinates Or Rectangular Coordinates

P (x, y, z) z

−  x   P(x,y,z)
−  y  
y
−  z  
x
A vector A in Cartesian coordinates can be written as

( Ax , Ay , Az ) or Ax ax + Ay a y + Az az
where ax,ay and az are unit vectors along x, y and z-directions.
 Cylindrical Coordinates
z
P (ρ, Φ, z)
0 
z

P(ρ, Φ, z)
0    2
−  z   x Φ
ρ y

A vector A in Cylindrical coordinates can be written as

( A , A , Az ) or A a + A a + Az az
where aρ,aΦ and az are unit vectors along ρ, Φ and z-directions.
x= ρ cos Φ, y=ρ sin Φ, z=z
y
 = x + y ,  = tan
2 2 −1
,z = z
x
 Spherical Coordinates
z
P (r, θ, Φ) 0r P(r, θ, Φ)
θ r
0  
0    2 x Φ
y

A vector A in Spherical coordinates can be written as

( Ar , A , A ) or Ar ar + A a + A a
where ar, aθ, and aΦ are unit vectors along r, θ, and Φ-directions.
x=r sin θ cos Φ, y=r sin θ sin Φ, Z=r cos θ

x2 + y2 −1 y
r = x 2 + y 2 + z 2 , = tan −1 ,  = tan
z x
 z z
P(r, θ, Φ)
Cartesian Coordinates P(x,y,z)
θ r P(x, y, z) y

y x
x Φ

Spherical Coordinates Cylindrical Coordinates

P(r, θ, Φ) z P(ρ, Φ, z)

z
P(ρ, Φ, z)

Φ
r y
x
 Differential Length, Area and Volume
Cartesian Coordinates

Differential displacement
dl = dxax + dyay + dzaz

Differential area

dS = dydzax = dxdzay = dxdyaz

Differential Volume
dV = dxdydz
Cylindrical Coordinates

ρ ρ

ρ ρ

ρ ρρ

ρ ρ
 Differential Length, Area and Volume

Cylindrical Coordinates
Differential displacement
dl = da + da + dzaz
Differential area

dS = ddza = ddza = ddaz

Differential Volume
dV = dddz
Spherical Coordinates
 Differential Length, Area and Volume

Spherical Coordinates
Differential displacement
dl = drar + rda + r sin da
Differential area

dS = r sin ddar = r sin drda = rdrda

2

Differential Volume

dV = r sin drdd
2
 Line, Surface and Volume Integrals

Line Integral

 A.dl
L

Surface Integral
 =  A.dS
S

Volume Integral

 p dv
V
v
 Gradient, Divergence and Curl

The Del Operator

• Gradient of a scalar function is a

vector quantity.
f Vector

• Divergence of a vector is a scalar . A

quantity.
• Curl of a vector is a vector
 A
quantity.
 Del Operator

Cartesian Coordinates
  
 = ax + a y + az
x y z
Cylindrical Coordinates
 1  
= a + a + a z
   z
Spherical Coordinates

 1  1 
 = ar + a + a
r r  r sin  
 Gradient of a Scalar

The gradient of a scalar fieldV is a vector that represents both

the magnitude and the direction of the maximum space rate
of increase ofV.
V V V
V = ax + ay + az
x y z
V 1 V V
V = a + a + az
   z
V 1 V 1 V
V = ar + a + a
r r  r sin  
 Divergence of a Vector
The divergence of A at a given point P is the outward flux per
unit volume as the volume shrinks about P.

 A.dS
divA = . A = lim S
v →0 v
A A A
. A = + +
x y z
1  1 A Az
. A = ( A ) + +
    z
 Curl of a Vector

The curl of A is an axial vector whose magnitude is the

maximum circulation of A per unit area tends to zero and
whose direction is the normal direction of the area when the
area is oriented to make the circulation maximum.
 
 L 
A.dl
curlA =   A =  lim  an
 s →0 S 
  max
Where ΔS is the area bounded by the curve L and an is the unit
vector normal to the surface ΔS
  ax ay az   a a az 
   1  
 A =    A =  
 x y z      z 
 Ax Ay Az   A A Az 

Cartesian Coordinates Cylindrical Coordinates

 ar ra r sin a 

1    
 A = 2  
r sin   r   
 Ar rA r sin A 

Spherical Coordinates
 Divergence or Gauss’ Theorem

The divergence theorem states that the total outward flux of a

vector field A through the closed surface S is the same as the
volume integral of the divergence of A.

 A.dS =  .Adv
V
 Stokes’ Theorem

Stokes’s theorem states that the circulation of a vector field A around a

closed path L is equal to the surface integral of the curl of A over the open
surface S bounded by L, provided A and  A are continuous on S

 A.dl =  (  A).dS
L S