Coordinate Systems

and Transformation

Special Thank to Eng :Mohammed EL Asmar

Elements of Electromagnetics Fourth

Edition
Sadiku

2.1: Coordinate systems

In a 3D space, a coordinate system can be specified by the intersection of 3

surfaces. An orthogonal coordinate system is defined when these three surfaces
are mutually orthogonal at a point .

Most commonly used coordinate systems

(a) Cartesian; (b) Cylindrical; (c) Spherical.

3

Why we need a new coordinate systems ?

It is more easy to analysis some problems that has a cylindrical or spherical
symmetry with spherical and cylindrical coordinate .

2.2: Cartesian Coordinates (x,y,z)

An intersection of 3 planes:
x = const; y = const; z = const

2.3: Cylindrical Coordinates ( ,,z)

An intersection of a cylinder and 2 planes

Properties:
a

az
a

Transformation points (x , y , z ) ( ,, z )
1. Cartesian to Cylindrical:
y
x y ; tan
x
2

;z z

2. Cylindrical to Cartesian:
x cos;y sin ;z z

Transformation vectors
A A x ax A y ay A z az A A a A a A z az
(x , y , z ) ( , , z )

To find any desired component of a vector, we recall from the discussion of the dot
product that a component in a desired direction may be obtained by taking the
dot product of the vector and a unit vector in the desired direction
Hence,

A A a and A A a
Expanding these dot products, we have

The angel between ax and a is thus ax . a cos( )

but theangel between ax and a is 90 thus ax . a cos(90 ) sin( )

z

A A x cos A y sin
y

A A x sin A y cos

Az Az

ax

90

ay

A Ax ax A y ay Az az

:
(1)

The relation between (a x ,a y ,a z )and(a ,a ,a z ) are obtained

geometrically from
a x cos a sin a
a y sin a cos a

1 ,ay, ax

az az
A ( A x cos A y sin ) a ( A x sin A y cos ) a A z az

10

A A x cos A y sin
A A x sin A y cos
Az Az
________________________________________
A cos sin 0 A x
A sin cos 0 A

y
0
1 A z
A z 0
A x cos sin 0 A
A sin cos 0 A
y

0
1 A z
A z 0

A Ax ax A y ay Az az A A a Aa Az az
11

2.4: Spherical Coordinates(r, , )

An intersection of a sphere of radius r, a plane that makes an angle to the x axis,
and a cone that makes an angle to the z axis.

12

ar

a
a

Unit vector for cylindrical and spherical coordinates.

13

Transformation points (x , y , z ) (r , , )

Elements of Electromagnetics Fourth

Edition
Sadiku

14

. Cartesian to Spherical:
2
2

y
r x 2 y 2 z 2 ; tan 1

1 y
; tan

. Spherical to Cartesian:
x r sin cos;y r sin sin ;z r cos

15

A A x ax A y ay Az az A A r ar A a Aa

A r sin cos sin sin

A cos cos cos sin
A sin
cos

cos A x
sin A y

0 A z

A x sin cos cos cos

A sin sin cos cos
y
sin
A z cos

sin A r

cos A

0 A

Coordinate Transformation Procedure

(1 ) Transform the component scalars into the new coordinate system.
(2) Insert the component scalars into the coordinate transformation matrix and
evaluate.
16

PE 2.1 :A-Convert Point P(1,3,5) form Cartesian to

cylindrical

B-Convert Point P(1,3,5) form Cartesian to spherical :

17

Problem 2.1:A-Convert Point P form cylindrical to

Cartesian P(2,30,5)

B- Convert Point T to Cartesian T(10,pi/4,pi/3)

18

Problem 2.3:If V=xz-xy+yz , express V In cylindrical.

Example 2.1:

19






180
180

20

21

2.4(a) Transform the vector (x+z)ay to cylindrical

A cos sin 0 0
A sin cos 0 x z

0
1 0
A z 0

22

2.5 :Convert the vector F to cylindrical

A cos sin 0 A x
A sin cos 0 A

y
0
1 A z
A z 0

23

The distance between tow points :

d r2 r1
Cartesian d 2 ( x 2 x 1 )2 ( y 2 y 1 )2 (z 2 z 1 )2
Cylindrical d 2 22 12 2 2 1 cos(2 1 ) (z 2 z 1 )2
Spherical

d 2 r22 r12 2r2 r1 cos 2 cos 1 2r2 r1 sin 2 sin 1 cos(2 1 )

Constant coordinate surface

Cartesian coordinate

24

 Cylindrical

25

 Spherical
r:const :sphere

:const : cone

26

x ,y const

,z const(circle)

, const(line)

,z const

Elements of Electromagnetics Fourth

Edition
Sadiku

27

,r const (circle)

r, const(bow)

, const (line)

28

P2.6: Express B in Cartesian

A x sin cos cos cos
A sin sin cos cos
y
sin
A z cos

Elements of Electromagnetics Fourth

Edition
Sadiku

sin A r

cos A

0 A

29

2.11:Transform A to rectangular

Elements of Electromagnetics Fourth

Edition
Sadiku

30

Wanted

Given

Elements of Electromagnetics Fourth

Edition
Sadiku

31

Transform A to spherical and Find the value of A at point(3,-4,0)

Elements of Electromagnetics Fourth

Edition
Sadiku

32

2.14:Calculate the distance between the points:

(a) P1=(2,1,5) and P2=(6,-1,2)

(b) P1=(3,pi/2,-1) and P2=(5,3pi/2,5)

d 2 22 12 22 1 cos(2 1 ) (z 2 z 1 )2

Elements of Electromagnetics Fourth

Edition
Sadiku

33

P.E:2.3:

(a) H.ax :

first we must convert [H to Cartesian ] or [A to cylindrical

Elements of Electromagnetics Fourth

Edition
Sadiku

34

(a) Hxa

35