8/23/2005 Example Expressing Vector Fields with Coordinate Systems.

doc 1/8

Example: Expressing
Vector Fields with
Coordinate Systems
Consider the vector field:

⎛x ⎞ ˆ
A = xz aˆx + ( x 2 + y 2 ) aˆy + ⎜ ⎟ az
⎝z ⎠

Let’s try to accomplish three things:

1. Express A using spherical coordinates and Cartesian

base vectors.

2. Express A using Cartesian coordinates and spherical

base vectors.

3. Express A using cylindrical coordinates and cylindrical

base vectors.

1. The vector field is already expressed with Cartesian base

vectors, therefore we only need to change the Cartesian
coordinates in each scalar component into spherical
coordinates.

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

8/23/2005 Example Expressing Vector Fields with Coordinate Systems.doc 2/8

The scalar component of A in the x-direction is:

Ax = xz
= ( r sinθ cosφ ) ( r cosθ )
= r 2sinθ cosθ cosφ

The scalar component of A in the y-direction is:

Ay = x 2 + y 2
2 2
= ( r sinθ cosφ ) + ( r sinθ sinφ )
= r 2sin2θ ( cos φ + sin φ )
2 2

= r 2sin2θ

The scalar component of A in the z-direction is:

x
Az =
z
r sinθ cosφ
=
r cosθ
= tanθ cosφ

Therefore, the vector field can be expressed using spherical

coordinates as:

A = r 2sinθ cosθ cosφ aˆx + r 2sin2θ aˆy + tanθ cosφ aˆz

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

8/23/2005 Example Expressing Vector Fields with Coordinate Systems.doc 3/8

2. Now, let’s express A using spherical base vectors. We

cannot simply change the coordinates of each component.
Rather, we must determine new scalar components, since we
are using a new set of base vectors. We begin by stating:

A = ( A ⋅aˆr ) aˆr + ( A ⋅aˆθ ) aˆθ + ( A ⋅aˆφ ) aˆφ

The scalar component Ar is therefore:

⎛x ⎞ ˆ ˆ
A ⋅aˆr = xz aˆx ⋅aˆr + ( x 2 + y 2 ) aˆy ⋅aˆr + ⎜ ⎟ az ⋅ar
⎝z ⎠
⎛x ⎞
= xz ( sinθ cosφ ) + ( x 2 + y 2 ) ( sinθ sinφ ) + ⎜ ⎟ ( cosθ )
⎝z ⎠
x2 +y2 x
= xz
x2 +y2 +z2 x2 +y2
x2 +y2 y
+ (x + y2 2
)
x2 +y2 +z2 x2 +y2
⎛x ⎞ z
+⎜ ⎟
⎝ z ⎠ x2 +y2 +z2

x 2z y (x 2 + y 2 ) x
= + +
x2 +y2 +z2 x2 +y2 +z2 x2 +y2 +z2
x 2z + x 2y + y 3 + x
=
x2 +y2 +z2

Likewise, the scalar component Aθ is:

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

8/23/2005 Example Expressing Vector Fields with Coordinate Systems.doc 4/8

⎛x ⎞ ˆ ˆ
A ⋅ aˆθ = xz aˆx ⋅ aˆθ + ( x 2 + y 2 ) aˆy ⋅ aˆθ + ⎜ ⎟ az ⋅ aθ
⎝z ⎠
⎛x ⎞
= xz ( cosθ cosφ ) + ( x 2 + y 2 ) ( cosθ sinφ ) − ⎜ ⎟ ( sinθ )
⎝z ⎠
z x
= xz
x2 +y2 +z2 x2 +y2
z y
+ (x 2 + y 2 )
x2 +y2 +z2 x2 +y2

⎛x ⎞ x2 +y2
−⎜ ⎟
⎝ z ⎠ x2 +y2 +z2

x 2z 3 yz 2 ( x 2 + y 2 )
= +
z x +y +z
2 2 2
x +y
2 2
z x2 +y2 +z2 x2 +y2
x (x 2 + y 2 )
−
z x2 +y2 +z2 x2 +y2
x 2z 3 + x 2yz 2 + y 3z − x 3 − xy 2
=
z x2 +y2 +z2 x2 +y2

And finally, the scalar component Aφ is:

⎛x
⎞ ˆ ˆ
A ⋅aˆφ = xz aˆx ⋅ aˆφ + ( x 2 + y 2 ) aˆy ⋅ aˆφ + ⎜
⎟ az ⋅ aφ
⎝z
⎠
⎛x ⎞
= xz ( -sinφ ) + ( x 2 + y 2 ) ( cosφ ) + ⎜ ⎟ 0
⎝z ⎠
−y x
= xz + (x 2 + y 2 )
x2 +y2 x2 +y2
−xyz + x 3 + xy 2
=
x2 +y2
Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS
8/23/2005 Example Expressing Vector Fields with Coordinate Systems.doc 5/8

Whew! We’re finished! The vector A is expressed using

Cartesian coordinates and spherical base vectors as:

⎛ x 2z + x 2y + y 3 + x ⎞
A=⎜ ⎟ aˆr
⎜ x2 +y2 +z2 ⎟
⎝ ⎠
⎛ x 2z 3 + x 2yz 2 + y 3z − x 3 − xy 2 ⎞
+⎜ ⎟ aˆθ
⎜ z x2 +y2 +z2 x2 +y2 ⎟
⎝ ⎠
⎛ −xyz + x 3 + xy 2 ⎞
+⎜ ⎟ aˆφ
⎜ x +y
2 2 ⎟
⎝ ⎠

3. Now, let’s write A in terms of cylindrical coordinates and

cylindrical base vectors (i.e., in terms of the cylindrical
coordinate system).

A = ( A ⋅ aˆρ ) aˆρ + ( A ⋅ aˆφ ) aˆφ + ( A ⋅ aˆz ) aˆz

First, Aρ is:

⎛x ⎞ ˆ ˆ
A ⋅aˆρ = xz aˆx ⋅ aˆρ + ( x 2 + y 2 ) aˆy ⋅ aˆρ + ⎜ ⎟ az ⋅ a ρ
⎝z ⎠
⎛x ⎞
= xz ( cosφ ) + ( x 2 + y 2 ) ( sinφ ) + ⎜ ⎟ ( 0 )
⎝z ⎠
= ρ cosφ z ( cosφ ) + ρ 2 ( sinφ )
= ρ cos2φ z + ρ 2sinφ

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

8/23/2005 Example Expressing Vector Fields with Coordinate Systems.doc 6/8

And Aφ is:

⎛x ⎞ ˆ ˆ
A ⋅aˆφ = xz aˆx ⋅ aˆφ + ( x 2 + y 2 ) aˆy ⋅ aˆφ + ⎜ ⎟ az ⋅ aφ
⎝z ⎠
⎛x ⎞
= xz ( -sinφ ) + ( x 2 + y 2 ) ( cosφ ) + ⎜ ⎟ ( 0 )
⎝z ⎠
= − ρ cosφ z ( sinφ ) + ρ 2 ( cosφ )
= ρ cosφ ( ρ − z sinφ )

And finally, Az is:

⎛x ⎞ ˆ ˆ
A ⋅aˆz = xz aˆx ⋅ aˆz + ( x 2 + y 2 ) aˆy ⋅ aˆz + ⎜ ⎟ az ⋅ az
⎝z ⎠
⎛x ⎞
= xz ( 0 ) + ( x 2 + y 2 ) ( 0 ) + ⎜ ⎟ (1 )
⎝z ⎠
⎛x ⎞
=⎜ ⎟
⎝z ⎠
ρ cosφ
=
z

We can therefore express the vector field A using both

cylindrical coordinates and cylindrical base vectors:

⎛ ρ cosφ ⎞ ˆ
A = ( ρ cos2φ z + ρ 2sinφ ) aˆρ + ρ cosφ ( ρ − z sinφ ) aˆφ + ⎜ ⎟ az
⎝ z ⎠

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

8/23/2005 Example Expressing Vector Fields with Coordinate Systems.doc 7/8

Thus, we have determined three possible ways (and there are

many other ways!) to express the vector field A:

1.
A = r 2sinθ cosθ cosφ aˆx + r 2sin2θ aˆy + tanθ cosφ aˆz

2.
⎛ x 2z + x 2y + y 3 + x ⎞
A=⎜ ⎟ aˆr
⎜ x 2
+ y 2
+ z 2 ⎟
⎝ ⎠
⎛ x 2z 3 + x 2yz 2 + y 3z − x 3 − xy 2 ⎞
+⎜ ⎟ aˆθ
⎜ z x2 +y2 +z2 x2 +y2 ⎟
⎝ ⎠
⎛ −xyz + x 3 + xy 2 ⎞
+⎜ ⎟ aˆφ
⎜ x +y
2 2 ⎟
⎝ ⎠

3.
⎛ ρ cosφ ⎞ ˆ
A = ( ρ cos2φ z + ρ 2sinφ ) aˆρ + ρ cosφ ( ρ − z sinφ ) aˆφ + ⎜ ⎟ az
⎝ z ⎠

Please note:

* The three expressions for vector field A provided in this

handout each look very different. However, they are just three
different methods for describing the same vector field. Any
one of the three is correct, and will result in the same result
for any physical problem.

* We can express a vector field using any set of coordinate

variables and any set of base vectors.

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS

8/23/2005 Example Expressing Vector Fields with Coordinate Systems.doc 8/8

* Generally speaking, however, we use one coordinate system

to describe a vector field. For example, we use both spherical
coordinates and spherical base vectors.

Q: So, which coordinate

system (Cartesian,
cylindrical, spherical) should
we use ? How can we decide
between the three?

A: Ideally, we select that system that most simplifies the

mathematics. This depends on the physical problem we are
solving.

For example, if we are determining the fields resulting from a

spherically symmetric charge density, we will find that using
the spherical coordinate system will make our analysis the
easiest and most straightforward.

Jim Stiles The Univ. of Kansas Dept. of EECS