Homework Set #1 of Course AerE 541

1. Spherical coordinate ( R, ϕ ,θ ) are defined by the following inverse transformation:

x = (R sin ϕ ) cos θ , y = (R sin ϕ ) sin θ , z = R cos ϕ
Where
0 ≤ R ≤ ∞, 0 ≤ θ ≤ 2π , 0 ≤ ϕ ≤ 2π
a). Obtain the scale factors for the spherical coordinate system.
b). Obtain the unit vectors in spherical system as the function of Cartesian unit vectors.
c). Obtain the derivatives of the unit vectors with respect to spherical coordinate
directions and simplify the results to be only functions of spherical coordinates.
d). Using vector algebra to obtain the divergence of a general vector in spherical
coordinates. Simplify the results to be in conservation form.
 
Solution: 
(a) and (b). determine the scale factors and unit vectors: 
→ z
OB = r eˆr  
OA = r sin θ  
x = R sin θ cos φ
eR
x = R sin θ sin φ   θ
B eφ
z = R cos θ
  O R
r
R = x( R, θ , φ ) iˆ + y ( R, θ , φ ) ˆj + z ( R, θ , φ ) kˆ   φ A
eθ y
 
r r r
r ∂R ∂R ∂R x
dR = dr + dθ + dφ
∂R ∂θ ∂φ
= hR dr eˆ R + hθ dθ eˆθ + hφ dφ eˆφ
 
(R − θ − φ )
 
r
∂R ∂x ˆ ∂y ˆ ∂z
hR eˆ R = = i+ j+ kˆ
∂R ∂R ∂R ∂R  
= sin θ cos φ iˆ + sin θ sin φ ˆj + cos θ kˆ
 
(hR eˆ R ) • (hR eˆ R ) = hR
2

= (sin θ cos φ iˆ + sin θ sin φ ˆj + cos θ kˆ)(sin θ cos φ iˆ + sin θ sin φ ˆj + cos θ kˆ)  
= sin 2 θ cos 2 φ + sin 2 θ sin 2 φ + cos 2 θ = 1
 
Therefore: 
 
hR = 1
 
eˆR = sin θ cos φ iˆ + sin θ sin φ ˆj + cosθ kˆ
 
Similarly,  θ ‐direction: 
 
r
∂R ∂x ˆ ∂y ˆ ∂z ˆ
hθ eˆθ = = i+ j+ k
∂θ ∂θ ∂θ ∂θ  
= R cos θ cos φ iˆ + R cos θ sin φ ˆj − R sin θ kˆ
(hθ eˆθ ) • (hθ eˆθ ) = hθ
2

= R 2 (cos θ cos φ iˆ + cos θ sin φ ˆj − sin θ kˆ)(cos θ cos φ iˆ + cos θ sin φ ˆj − sin θ kˆ)  
= R 2 [cos 2 θ cos 2 φ + cos 2 θ sin 2 φ + sin 2 θ ] = R 2
 
Therefore: 
 
hθ = R
 
eˆθ = cosθ cos φ iˆ + cosθ sin φ ˆj − sin θ kˆ
 
r
∂R ∂x ˆ ∂y ˆ ∂z ˆ
hφ eˆφ = = i+ j+ k
φ ‐direction: ∂φ ∂φ ∂φ ∂φ  
= − R sin θ sin φ iˆ + R sin θ cos φ ˆj − 0 kˆ
(hφ eˆφ ) • (hφ eˆφ ) = hφ
2

= R 2 (− sin θ sin φ iˆ + sin θ cos φ ˆj )(− sin θ sin φ iˆ + sin θ cos φ ˆj )  

= R 2 sin 2 θ
 
Therefore: 
 
hφ = R sin θ
 
eˆφ = − sin φ iˆ + cos φ ˆj
(c). Derivatives of the unit vectors:

∂eˆR
=0
∂R
∂eˆR
= cosθ cos φ iˆ + cosθ sin φ ˆj − sin θ kˆ = eˆθ
∂θ
∂eˆR
= − sin θ sin φ iˆ + sin θ cos φ ˆj = sin θ eˆφ
∂φ
∂eˆθ
=0
∂R
∂eˆθ
= sin θ cosφ iˆ + sin θ sin φ ˆj + cosθ kˆ = eˆR
∂θ
∂eˆθ
= − cosθ sin φ iˆ + cosθ cosφ ˆj = cosθ eˆφ
∂φ
∂eˆφ
=0
∂R
∂eˆφ
=0
∂θ
∂eˆφ
= − cos φ iˆ − sin φ ˆj = − cosθ eˆR − sin θ eˆθ  
∂φ
 
 
(d). Divergence of a vector field:
For
v
a vector
V = VR eˆ R + Vθ eˆθ + Vφ eˆφ

v 1 ∂ (V h h ) ∂ ( h1V2 h3 ) ∂ ( h1h2V3 )
∇ ⋅V = [ 1 2 3 + + ]
h1h2 h3 ∂q1 ∂q2 ∂q3
1 ∂ (VR R 2 sin θ ) ∂ (Vθ R sin θ ) ∂ (Vφ R )
= 2 [ + + ]
R sin θ ∂R ∂θ ∂φ
2. To determine ∇Φ if
r
a). Φ = ln r
1
b). Φ = r
r
r r r
where r is the magnitude of the position vector r . For example r = xiˆ + yˆj + zkˆ in
Cartesian coordinate system)
 
Solution: 
 
r
a). In Cartesian system: since   Φ = ln r = ln( x 2 + y 2 + z 2 )1 / 2  
Therefore: 
∂Φ ˆ ∂Φ ˆ ∂Φ ˆ
∇Φ = i+ j+ k
∂x ∂y ∂z
1 1 x 1 x 1 z
= [ 2iˆ + 2 ˆj + 2kˆ]  
(x + y + z )
2 2 2 2 (x + y + z )
2 2 2 2 (x + y + z )
2 2 2 2 (x + y + z )
2 2 2

r r
xiˆ + yj + zkˆ r r
= 2 = r r = r2
(x + y + z ) r ⋅ r r
2 2

 
 
1 1
b). In Cartesian system: since   Φ = r = 2  
r ( x + y + z 2 )1 / 2
2

Therefore: 
∂Φ ˆ ∂Φ ˆ ∂Φ ˆ
∇Φ = i+ j+ k
∂x ∂y ∂z
1 1
=− [2 xiˆ + 2 yˆj + 2 zkˆ]
2 (x + y + z 2 )3/ 2
2 2

r
xiˆ + yj + zkˆ r
=− 2 =− r3
(x + y 2 + z 2 )3/ 2 r
3. To prove that the directions of the isolines and the gradient lines at any point in a scalar
field are orthogonal to each other.

Solution: for a scale field Φ ( x, y, z ) ,  By definition, it will have  Φ ( x, y, z ) = cons tan t  along the 

isoline.  The gradient vector of the scalar field will be  ∇Φ . 
 
Based  on  the  definition  of  directional  directives,  the  variation  of  the  scalar  Φ ( x, y, z )  along 
r
any directions can be expressed as:   dΦ = ∇Φ • dl  
 
r
If  we  chose  the  direction    vector  of  dl is  along  the  isoline  Φ ( x, y, z ) = cons tan t ,  then  the 
variation of  the scalar  Φ ( x, y, z )  along the isoline will be zero, i.e.,   dΦ =0. Therefore, it will 
r r
have   dΦ = ∇Φ • dl = 0 . For the dot product of two vectors  ∇Φ • dl ,  the vector  ∇Φ  must 
r r
be normal to the direction vector  dl  in order to have  ∇Φ • dl = 0 . Therefore, it proves the 
conclusion of “the directions of the isolines and the gradient lines at any point in a scalar field 
are orthogonal to each other”. 
4. Using Cartesians to prove the vector identity:
r
a). ∇ • (∇ × V ) = 0
r r
r r V •V r r
b). V • ∇V = ∇( ) − V × (∇ × V ) .
2

Prove: 
iˆ ˆj kˆ
r ∂ ∂ ∂
∇ ×V =
∂x ∂y ∂z
a). In a Cartesian system,  u v w  ; 

∂w ∂v ˆ ∂u ∂w ˆ ∂v ∂u ˆ
=( − )i + ( − ) j + ( − )k
∂y ∂z ∂z ∂x ∂x ∂y
 
r ∂ ∂w ∂v ∂ ∂u ∂w ∂ ∂v ∂u
∇ • (∇ × V ) = ( − )+ ( − )+ ( − )
∂x ∂y ∂z ∂y ∂z ∂x ∂z ∂x ∂y
∂ 2 w ∂ 2v ∂ 2u ∂ 2 w ∂ 2 v ∂ 2u
therefore:  = − + − + −  
∂x∂y ∂x∂z ∂y∂z ∂y∂x ∂z∂x ∂z∂y
=0
 
b). in Cartesian system:  
r r
r r V •V r r
since   V • ∇V = ∇( ) − V × (∇ × V )  
2
r r r
r r ∂V ∂V ∂V
V • ∇V = u +v +w
∂x ∂y ∂z
∂ (uiˆ + vˆj + wkˆ) ∂ (uiˆ + vˆj + wkˆ) ∂ (uiˆ + vˆj + wkˆ)
=u +v +w  
∂x ∂y ∂z
∂u ∂u ∂u ∂v ∂v ∂v ∂w ∂w ∂w
= iˆ[u +v + w ] + ˆj[u + v + w ] + kˆ[u +v +w ]
∂x ∂y ∂z ∂x ∂y ∂z ∂x ∂y ∂z
 
 
r r
V •V 1 ∂ (u 2 + v 2 + w 2 ) ˆ ∂ (u 2 + v 2 + w 2 ) ˆ ∂ (u 2 + v 2 + w 2 ) ˆ
∇( )= [ i+ j+ k]
2 2 ∂x ∂y ∂z
 
∂u ∂v ∂w ˆ ∂u ∂v ∂w ˆ ∂u ∂v ∂w ˆ
= [u + v + w ]i + [u + v + w ] j + [u + v + w ]k
∂x ∂x ∂x ∂y ∂y ∂y ∂z ∂z ∂z
 
 
 iˆ ˆj kˆ
r r
V × (∇ × V ) = u v w
∂ w ∂v ∂u ∂w ∂v ∂u
( − ) ( − ) ( − )
∂ y ∂z ∂ z ∂x ∂ x ∂y
∂v ∂u ∂u ∂ w  
= {iˆ[v ( − ) − w( − )]
∂x ∂y ∂z ∂x
∂ w ∂v ∂v ∂u
+ ˆj[ w( − ) − u ( − )]
∂y ∂ z ∂ x ∂y
∂u ∂ w ∂ w ∂v
+ kˆ[u ( − ) − v( − )]}
∂z ∂x ∂y ∂ z
 
r r
V •V r r
∇( ) − V × (∇ × V ) =
2
∂u ∂v ∂w ∂u ∂v ∂w ∂u ∂v ∂w
[u + v + w ]iˆ + [u + v + w ] ˆj + [u + v + w ]kˆ
∂x ∂x ∂x ∂y ∂y ∂y ∂z ∂z ∂z
∂v ∂u ∂u ∂w
− {iˆ[v( − ) − w( − )]
∂x ∂y ∂z ∂x
∂w ∂v ∂v ∂u
+ ˆj[ w( − ) − u ( − )]  
∂y ∂z ∂x ∂y
∂u ∂w ∂w ∂v
+ kˆ[u ( − ) − v( − )]}
∂z ∂x ∂y ∂z
∂u ∂u ∂u ∂v ∂v ∂v ∂w ∂w ∂w
= iˆ[u +v + w ] + ˆj[u + v + w ] + kˆ[u +v +w ]
∂x ∂y ∂z ∂x ∂y ∂z ∂x ∂y ∂z
 
r r
r r V •V r r
Therefore:  V • ∇V = ∇( ) − V × (∇ × V )  
2