VECTOR REPRESENTATATION OF SURFACES

Consider a plane surface S which is either an open surface or part of a closed

surface. The vector surface is defined as:

n
S Sa =

Where S is the area of the given surface, and

n
a
, is the unit vector
perpendicular to the surface.

If S is a part of a closed surface, positive

n
a
is taken to be an outward
normal. If S is an open surface, first its periphery is oriented and then

n
a
is
defined with the right-hand rule. Positive

n
a
is thus selected arbitrarily.


ORTHOGONAL COORDINATE SYSTEMS

In a three dimensional space a point can be located as the intersection of
three surfaces. When the surfaces intersect perpendicularly we have an
orthogonal coordinate system.


Cartesian Coordinates:
Here, the constant surfaces are
. x const =
,
. y const =
and
. z const =

Point
1 1 1 1
( , , ) P x y z is located at the intersection of three surfaces.












Constant Surfaces



Fig. 2-1 Cartesian coordinates constant surfaces

. x const =
Planar Surface
. y const =
Planar Surface
. z const =
Planar Surface


Unit Vectors

x
a x =
const. Surface

y
a y =
const. Surface

z
a z =
const. Surface





Differential Length Element


x y z
dl a dx a dy a dz = + +







Fig. 2-2 Differential Length Elements in the Cartesian coordinate system





Differential Surface Elements:

x x
y y
z z
ds dy dz a
ds dxdz a
ds dz dy a
=
=
=



Fig.2-3 Differential Surface Elements in the Cartesian coordinate system

Differential Volume Element

dV dxdydz =


Cylindrical Coordinates
The constant surfaces are:
. const =
,
. const | =
,
. z const =

Point
1 1 1
( , , ) P z | is located at the intersection of three surfaces.


Fig. 2-4 Cylindrical Coordinates, constant surfaces.

Constant Surfaces

., const =
Circular cylinders
., const | =
Planes
., z const =
Planes


Ranges of variables:

0
0 2
z

| t
s <
s s
< <




Unit Vectors



Fig. 2-5 Cylindrical Coordinates, unit vectors.


, . a const

=
Surface
, . a const
|
| =
Surface
, .
z
a z const =
Surface



Differential Length Elements


z
d a d a d a dz
|
| = + +




Fig. 2-6 Differential Length Elements in the Cylindrical Coordinate system.






Differential Volume Element

dV d d dz | =



Differential Surface Elements

ds a d dz

| =

ds a d dz
| |
=

z z
ds a d d | =





Fig. 2-7 Differential surface elements in the cylindrical coordinate system.





The unit vectors obey the following right-hand cyclic relations:


z
a Xa a
|
=


z
a Xa a
|
=


z
a Xa a
|
=





Also, like the other vectors:

. 1 a a

=

. 1 a a
| |
=

. 1
z z
a a =

. 0 a a
|
=

. 0
z
a a
|
=

. 0
z
a a

=



















Cylindrical Unit Vectors in Terms of Cartesian Unit Vectors







Fig. 2-8 Cylindrical Unit Vectors in Terms of Cartesian Unit Vectors


cos sin
x y
a a a

| | = +

sin s
x y
a a a co
|
| | = +


z z
a a =


Similarly;

cos sin
x
a a a
|
| | =

sin s
y
a a a co
|
| | = +


z z
a a =



Relationship between
( , , ) x y z
and
( , , ) z |
:








Fig.2-9 Relationship between
( , , ) x y z
and
( , , ) z |




2 2 1
cos , sin ,
, tan ,
x y z z
x
x y z z
y
| |
|

= = =
| |
= + = =
|
\ .






Spherical Coordinates
The constant surfaces are:
. r const =
,
. const u =
,
. const | =

Point
1 1 1
( , , ) P r u | is located at the intersection of three surfaces.





Fig. 2-10 Unit vectors in spherical coordinates.



Unit Vectors

, .
r
a r const =
Surface
, . a const
u
u =
Surface
, . a const
|
| =
Surface






Ranges of variables:

0
0
0 2
r
u t
| t
s <
s s
< <


Constant Surfaces

., r const =
Spherical Surfaces
., const u =
Conical Surfaces
., const | =
Planes



Fig. 2-11 Constant surfaces in spherical coordinates.


Differential Length Elements

sin
r
d a dr a rd a r d
u |
u u | = + +







Fig. 2-11 Differential length elements for spherical coordinates.


Differential Volume Element

2
sin dV r drd d u u | =



Differential Surface Elements

2
sin
r r
ds a r d d u u | =

sin ds a r drd
u u
u | =

ds a rdrd
| |
u =





Fig. 2-12 Differential surface elements for spherical coordinates.


The unit vectors obey the following right-hand cyclic relations:


r
a Xa a
u |
=


r
a Xa a
u |
=


r
a Xa a
| u
=



Also, like the other vectors:

. 1
r r
a a =

. 1 a a
u u
=

. 1 a a
| |
=

. 0
r
a a
u
=

. 0 a a
u |
=

. 0
r
a a
|
=


Spherical Unit Vectors in Terms of Cartesian Unit Vectors



Fig. 2-13 Unit vector relations between Cartesian and spherical coordinates.

sin cos cos cos sin
sin sin cos sin s
cos sin
x r
y r
z r
a a a a
a a a co a
a a a
u |
u |
u
u | u | |
u | u | |
u u
= +
= + +
=



sin cos sin sin cos
cos cos cos sin sin
sin s
r x y z
x y z
x y
a a a a
a a a a
a a co a
u
|
u | u u
u | u | u
| |
= + +
= +
= +



Relationship between
( , , ) x y z
and
( , , ) r u |
:


Fig. 2-14 Relationship between Cartesian coordinates and spherical
coordinates.



2 2
2 2 2 1 1
, tan , tan
sin cos , sin sin , cos
x y y
r x y z
z x
x r y r z r
u |
u | u | u

| |
+
| |
| = + + = =
|
|
\ .
\ .
= = =