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x2
x1 component
of force
x2
x1
x1
x1 component
of force
1.5.1
Any change of Cartesian coordinate system will be due to a translation of the base
vectors and a rotation of the base vectors. A translation of the base vectors does not
change the components of a vector. Mathematically, this can be expressed by saying that
the components of a vector a are e i a , and these three quantities do not change under a
translation of base vectors. Rotation of the base vectors is thus what one is concerned
with in what follows.
1.5.2
Vectors are mathematical objects which exist independently of any coordinate system.
Introducing a coordinate system for the purpose of analysis, one could choose, for
example, a certain Cartesian coordinate system with base vectors e i and origin o, Fig.
24
Kelly
Section 1.5
1.5.2. In that case the vector can be written as u u1e1 u 2 e 2 u 3 e 3 , and u1 , u 2 , u 3 are
its components.
Now a second coordinate system can be introduced (with the same origin), this time with
base vectors ei . In that case, the vector can be written as u u1e1 u 2 e2 u 3 e3 , where
u1 , u 2 , u 3 are its components in this second coordinate system, as shown in the figure.
Thus the same vector can be written in more than one way:
u u1e1 u 2 e 2 u 3e 3 u1e1 u 2 e2 u 3 e3
The first coordinate system is often referred to as the ox1 x 2 x3 system and the second as
the ox1 x 2 x3 system.
x2
x2
u1
u 2
x1
e2
e1
u2
x1
u1
u u1e1 u2e 2
OB AB e1 BD CP e 2
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Kelly
Section 1.5
u1 cos u1 sin u 2
u 2 sin u1 cos u 2
vector components in
first coordinate system
vector components in
second coordinate system
sin u1
cos u 2
u1 cos
u sin
2
x2
x2
u1
u2
x1
u2
D
A
x1
u1
multiplying both sides of these equations by the inverse of Q , Q 1 , one obtains the
transformation equations transforming from u1 u 2 to u1 u 2 :
T
u1 cos
u sin
2
sin u1
cos u 2
Q Q
1
(1.5.1)
Three Dimensions
It is straight forward to show that, in the full three dimensions, Fig. 1.5.4, the components
in the two coordinate systems are related through
26
Kelly
Section 1.5
(1.5.2)
Q13 u1
Q23 u 2
Q33 u 3
x2
u Qu
x2
x3
(1.5.3)
x3
x1
x1
Note: some authors define the matrix of direction cosines to consist of the components
Qij cos( xi , x j ) , so that the subscript i refers to the new coordinate system and the j to
the old coordinate system, rather than the other way around as used here.
The direction cosines introduced above also relate the base vectors in any two Cartesian
coordinate systems. It can be seen that
e i e j Qij
27
(1.5.4)
Kelly
Section 1.5
e2
cos( x1 , x2 ) e1 e2
e1
cos( x1 , x1 ) e1 e1
e1
e3
cos( x1 , x3 ) e1 e3
Figure 1.5.5: direction cosines
In the above, the transformation equations u i Qij u j were derived geometrically. They
can also be derived algebraically using the index notation as follows: start with the
relations u u k e k u j ej and post-multiply both sides by e i to get (the corresponding
matrix representation is to the right (also, see Problem 3 in 1.4.3)):
u k e k e i u j ej e i
u k ki u j Qij
u u Q
u i u j Qij
u i Qij u j
u Qu
u Q T u
(1.5.5)
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Kelly
Section 1.5
n1( 2 )
n2( 2 )
n3( 2 )
n1(3) u1
n2(3) u 2
n3(3) u 3
1.5.3
1.
2.
3.
Problems
The angles between the axes in two coordinate systems are given in the table below.
x1
x2
x3
o
o
x1
135
60
120 o
x 2
90 o
45 o
45 o
x3
45 o
60 o
120 o
u i Q ji u j ( u Q T u ).
29
Kelly