Coordinate Transformations: translation

It is often necessary in science/engineering to express vectors in

different coordinate frames. This requires the rotation and translation
matrixes, which relates coordinates, i.e. basis (unit) vectors in one frame
to those in another frame.

eˆz '
Translation of Coordinate systems

Position coordinate
êz
eˆ y' A  A T
'
T

eˆx' A
êy T is the translation vector,
which can be represented by
êx a matrix with 3 elements
 coordinate transformations :
rotation about the z-axis

eˆz ' blue: (x, y, z) : ‘old’ system

red: (x’, y’, z) : ‘new’ system

ê z
eˆ y '
θ
ê y
θ
êx
eˆx '
Positive rotation about z axis
(negative rotation would mean clockwise)
 Relationship between
various quantities eˆx'  cos  eˆx  sin  eˆy
involved in rotation
about the z-axis eˆy'   sin  eˆx  cos  eˆy
eˆz'  eˆz
 eˆ '   cos  sin  0   eˆx 
 x 
eˆy'     sin  cos  0  eˆy 
   0 1   eˆz 
 eˆz '   0

 A' x   cos  sin  0   Ax 

 '  
The components of a vector transform
In the same manner as the coordinates  A y     sin  cos  0   Ay 
themselves do, under a coord rotation.  A' z   0 0 1   Az 
 
 Transformation back from the primed to unprimed
coordinate systesm

 eˆx   cos  sin  0

1  eˆ ' 
eˆ     sin    x
 y  cos  0 eˆy' 
 eˆz   0 0 1   
 eˆz' 

.
R R  RR  1
T T

Transformation matrices are orthogonal so that their

inverse is equal to their transpose
 Y
Y/

VY
X/

VY/ VX/

 X

V  Vx eˆ x  V y eˆ y
VX

This can also be written as


V  Vx / eˆx /  Vy / eˆy /
This can be generalized into three dimensions
 We could get the components by taking dot products of unit vectors with V

Vx  eˆx  V

Vy  eˆ y V

Vz  eˆz V
Similarly we can get Vx / Vy Vz / /



Vx /  eˆx / V  eˆx /  Vx eˆx  Vy eˆy  Vz eˆz 
    
 Vx eˆ x /  eˆ x  V y eˆ x /  eˆ y  Vz eˆ x /  eˆ z 
     
Vx /  Vx eˆx /  eˆx  Vy eˆx /  eˆy  Vz eˆx /  eˆz 
    
Vy /  Vx eˆy /  eˆx  Vy eˆy /  eˆy  Vz eˆy /  eˆz 
    
Vz /  Vx eˆz /  eˆx  Vy eˆz /  eˆy  Vz eˆz /  eˆz 
This can be written in the matrix form

Vx /  eˆx /  eˆx eˆx /  eˆ y eˆx /  eˆz  Vx 

    
V  e
 y  y x
/ ˆ / e ˆ eˆ y /  eˆ y eˆ y /  eˆz  V y 
V /   eˆ /  eˆx eˆz /  eˆ y eˆz /  eˆz  Vz 
 z   z
Vx /  eˆx /  eˆx eˆx /  eˆ y eˆx /  eˆz  Vx 
    
V  e
 y  y x
/ ˆ / e ˆ eˆ y /  eˆ y eˆ y /  eˆz  V y 
V /   eˆ /  eˆx eˆz /  eˆ y eˆz /  eˆz  Vz 
 z   z
similarly

Vx  eˆx  eˆx / eˆx  eˆ y / eˆx  eˆz /  Vx / 

V   eˆ  eˆ eˆ y  eˆ y /
 
eˆ y  eˆz /  V y / 
 y  y x /

Vz  eˆz  eˆx / eˆz  eˆ y / eˆz  eˆz /  Vz / 

 
In general, the transformation matrix can be written
in terms of dot product of unit vectors

 A' x   eˆx' .eˆx eˆx' .eˆy eˆx' .eˆz   AX 

 '    
 A y   eˆy' .eˆx eˆy' .eˆy eˆy' .eˆz   AY 
 A' z   eˆ .eˆ eˆz' .eˆy
A 
eˆz' .eˆz   Z 
   z' x

In Einstein summation notation

direction cosine of new unit vector
w.r.t. old unit unit vector
A  Rij A j
i
'

Directional cosines
where Rij  eˆi ' .eˆ j
Remember: Reflection, rotation, parity etc are
transformations and can be represented by matrices.

Reflection as a transformation
the x axis is reversed;
Reflection along y-z plane : the other axes do not change

eˆz
 1 0 0 
  êz
 0 1 0  eˆx
 0 0 1
  eˆ y
êy
êx
For reflection, det R = −1
Note:
x goes to –x; y and z are unchanged by such a reflection
 Reflection transformation

Reflection along y-z plane

 1 0 0  eˆz '
 
 0 1 0 êz
 0 0 1
 
eˆx'
êy eˆ y'
êx
 Parity Transformation
A parity transformation is the simultaneous flip in the sign of all spatial
coordinates (inversion of co-ordinate system):

A 3×3 matrix representation of P would have determinant equal to -1, and

hence cannot reduce to a rotation.

For a rotation
RT R  RRT  1
 1 0 0  ê z
  eˆx'
and det R = 1
 0 1 0  eˆ y ' êy
 0 0 1
  êx
eˆz '
 pseudo vectors or axial vectors

A typical vector (such as the position vector) is transformed

to its negative under inversion of its coordinate axes. Such
"proper" vectors are known as polar vectors. A vector-like
object which is invariant under inversion is called a pseudo
vector, also called an axial vector
Cross Product of the two polar vector is a axial vector

C  A B
axial vector (pseudo vector) is a vector which does
not transform like a position vector under reflection
 pseudo vectors or axial vectors
A typical vector (such as the position vector) is transformed
to its negative under inversion of its coordinate axes. Such
"proper" vectors are known as polar vectors.

A vector-like object which is invariant under inversion is

called a pseudo vector, also called an axial vector
Cross Product of two polar vectors is an axial vector

Both axial vector (pseudo vector) and polar vector

(normal vector such as position vector) transform in the
same manner, as defined earlier, under proper
rotations.

But axial(pseudo) vectors do not transform like polar

 Proper and improper rotations
Geometric rotations vs. parity, inversion and reflection

a pseudovector (or axial vector) is a quantity

that transforms like a vector under a proper rotation,

but gains an additional sign flip under an improper rotation

(Improper rotation:
a transformation that can be expressed as
an inversion followed by a proper rotation).

Pseudo vector carries a sense of rotation or ‘handedness’

of the basis
e.g. angular momentum of a particle has different directions
depending on whether it is moving clockwise or anticlockwise
 Polar (proper) vector : gets inverted under 3D inversion
Pseudo (axial) vector : does not change under 3D inversion

3D Inversion (parity transformation) : x -x; y-y and z -z

pseudoscalar denotes a physical quantity analogous to a scalar.

Scalars as well as pseudoscalars are invariant under proper
rotations.
pseudoscalars flip their signs under the parity transformation,

while scalars do not flip, under proper and improper rotations.

Examples:
scalar triple products, magnetic flux, volume
 Algebra of Pseudo Vectors and
Examples
Dot and cross products: Examples for axial (pseudo) vectors:
Polar x Polar = Axial
Torque  r f
Polar x Axial = Polar

Axial x Axial = Axial Angular Momentum Lrp

Axial . Polar = Pseudo-
scalar Magnetic field
B  idl  B Biot-Savart's law
B    A (more about this in PH102)

Important: A axial vector can never be

equated with a polar vector
 Examples :
Some ‘real physical quantities’
Angular Momentum Vector r  p
Force on a charged particle moving in an electromagnetic field

F  q E  v B 
(Lorentz Force)

Rotation, reflection and other transformations of vectors is important

Cross-product of two polar vectors is a pseudo-vector

(example: r  p )

The Lorentz force, like any other force, is a polar vector,

since it includes the cross-product of a polar vector v
with a pseudo-vector B .
Tensors in Physics and Engineering
Tensors are quantities that transform according to certain rules
under a change of coordinates.

Scalars 2nd rank tensors


• Speed Stress, strain
 Conductivity
• Temperature 3rd rank tensors
• Pressure  Piezoelectricity
• Energy, Power 4th rank tensors
• Mass, Charge  Elastic moduli
• Length,
volume Laws of Physics are represented
in an invariant form,
• Time
though observed quantities
Vectors may be observer - dependent
(tensors of rank 1)
Velocity, Acceleration, Force, nth rank tensor has
Momentum, Displacement 3n components