Z02_RAO3333_1_SE_APPB.

QXD 4/9/08 2:42 PM Page 420

APPENDIX

Curl, Divergence, and

B Gradient in Cylindrical
and Spherical
Coordinate Systems

In Sections 3.1, 3.4, and 6.1, we introduced the curl, divergence, and gradient, respec-
tively, and derived the expressions for them in the Cartesian coordinate system. In this
appendix, we shall derive the corresponding expressions in the cylindrical and spheri-
cal coordinate systems. Considering first the cylindrical coordinate system, we recall
from Appendix A that the infinitesimal box defined by the three orthogonal surfaces
intersecting at point P(r, u, f) and the three orthogonal surfaces intersecting at point
Q(r + dr, f + df, z + dz) is as shown in Figure B.1.

Q(r ! dr, f ! df, z ! dz)

d h

dz e
b

r df
g
a
P(r, f, z)
dr (r ! dr) df

FIGURE B.1
Infinitesimal box formed by incrementing the coordinates in the
cylindrical coordinate system.

420
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Appendix B 421

From the basic definition of the curl of a vector introduced in Section 3.3 and
given by

AC A dl
#
§ : A = Lim c d an (B.1)
¢S : 0 ¢S max

we find the components of § : A as follows with the aid of Figure B.1:

Aabcda A dl
#
(§ : A)r = Lim
df : 0 area abcd
dz:0

[Af](r, z) r df + [Az](r, f + df) dz

e f
= Lim - [Af](r, z + dz)r df - [Az](r, f) dz
df : 0
dz:0 r df dz
[Az](r, f + df) - [Az](r, f) [Af](r, z) - [Af](r, z + dz)
= Lim + Lim
df : 0 r df dz : 0 dz
1 0Az 0Af
= - (B.2a)
r 0f 0z

Aadefa A dl
#
(§ : A)f = Lim
dz : 0 area adef
dr : 0

[Az](r, f) dz + [Ar](f, z + dz) dr

e f
= Lim - [Az](r + dr, f) dz - [Ar](f, z) dr
dz : 0
dr:0 dr dz
[Ar](f, z + dz) - [Ar](f, z) [Az](r, f) - [Az](r + dr, f)
= Lim + Lim
dz : 0 dz dr : 0 dr
0Ar 0Az
= - (B.2b)
0z 0r

Aafgba A dl
#
(§ : A)z = Lim
dr : 0 area afgb
df : 0

[Ar](f, z) dr + [Af](r + dr, z) (r + dr) df

e f
= Lim - [Ar](f + df, z) dr - [Af](r, z)r df
dr : 0
df:0 r dr df
[rAf](r + dr, z) - [rAf](r, z) [Ar](f, z) - [Ar](f + df, z)
= Lim + Lim
dr : 0 r dr df : 0 r df
1 0 1 0Ar
= (rAf) - (B.2c)
r 0r r 0f
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422 Appendix B Curl, Divergence, and Gradient

Combining (B.2a), (B.2b), and (B.2c), we obtain the expression for the curl of a vector
in cylindrical coordinates as

1 0Az 0Af 0Ar 0Az 1 0 0Ar

§ : A = c - da + c - da + c (rAf) - d az
r 0f 0z r 0z 0r f r 0r 0f
ar az
af
r r
5 0 0 0 5
= (B.3)
0r 0f 0z
Ar rAf Az

To find the expression for the divergence, we make use of the basic definition of
the divergence of a vector, introduced in Section 3.6 and given by

AS A dS
# #
§ A = Lim (B.4)
¢v : 0 ¢v

Evaluating the right side of (B.4) for the box of Figure B.1, we obtain

[Ar]r + dr(r + dr) df dz - [Ar]rr df dz + [Af]f + df dr dz

e f
#
§ A = Lim
dr : 0
- [Af]f dr dz + [Az]z + dzr dr df - [Az]zr dr df
r dr df dz
df : 0
dz : 0

[rAr]r + dr - [rAr]r [Af]f + df - [Af]f

= Lim + Lim
dr : 0 r dr df : 0 r df
[Az]z + dz - [Az]z
+ Lim
dz : 0 dz
1 0 1 0Af 0Az
= (rAr) + + (B.5)
r 0r r 0f 0z

To obtain the expression for the gradient of a scalar, we recall from Appendix A
that in cylindrical coordinates,

dl = dr ar + r df af + dz az (B.6)
and hence

0£ 0£ 0£
d£ = dr + df + dz
0r 0f 0z

= a
0£
0r
ar +
1 0£
r 0f
af +
0£ #
a b (dr ar + r df af + dz az)
0z z
= §£ dl # (B.7)
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Appendix B 423

Thus,
0£ 1 0£ 0£
§£ = a + a + a (B.8)
0r r r 0f f 0z z
Turning now to the spherical coordinate system, we recall from Appendix A that
the infinitesimal box defined by the three orthogonal surfaces intersecting at P(r, u, f)
and the three orthogonal surfaces intersecting at Q(r + dr, u + du, f + df) is as
shown in Figure B.2. From the basic definition of the curl of a vector given by (B.1), we
then find the components of § : A as follows with the aid of Figure B.2:

Aabcda A dl
#
(§ : A)r = Lim
du : 0 area abcd
df : 0

[Au](r, f)r du + [Af](r, u + du)r sin (u + du) df

e f
- [Au](r, f + df)r du - [Af](r, u)r sin u df
= Lim
du : 0 r2 sin u du df
df : 0

[Af sin u](r, u + du) - [Af sin u](r, u)

= Lim
du : 0 r sin u du
[Au](r, f) - [Au](r, f + df)
+ Lim
df : 0 r sin u df
1 0 1 0Au
= (Af sin u) - (B.9a)
r sin u 0u r sin u 0f

d (r ! dr) sin u df

f
r sin u df
h
dr Q(r ! dr, u ! du, f ! df)
a
P(r, u, f) c
(r ! dr) du

r du r sin (u ! du) df

g
b

FIGURE B.2
Infinitesimal box formed by incrementing the coordinates in the spherical
coordinate system.
Z02_RAO3333_1_SE_APPB.QXD 4/9/08 2:42 PM Page 424

424 Appendix B Curl, Divergence, and Gradient

Aadefa A dl
#
(§ : A)u = Lim
df : 0 area adef
dr : 0
[Af](r, u)r sin u df + [Ar](u, f + df) dr
e f
- [Af](r + dr, u)(r + dr) sin u df - [Ar](u, f) dr
= Lim
df : 0 r sin u dr df
dr : 0
[Ar](u, f + df) - [Ar](u, f)
= Lim
df : 0 r sin u df
[rAf](r, u) - [rAf](r + dr, u)
+ Lim
dr : 0 r dr
1 0Ar 1 0
= - (rAf) (B.9b)
r sin u 0f r 0r

Aafgba A dl
#
(§ : A)f = Lim
dr : 0 area afgb
du : 0

[Ar](u, f) dr + [Au](r + dr, f)(r + dr) du

e f
- [Ar](u + du, f) dr - [Au](r, f)r du
= Lim
dr : 0 r dr du
du : 0

[rAu](r + dr, f) - [rAu](r, f)

= Lim
dr : 0 r dr
[Ar](u, f) dr - [Ar](u + du, f) dr
+ Lim
du : 0 r du
1 0 1 0Ar
= (rAu) - (B.9c)
r 0r r 0u

Combining (B.9a), (B.9b), and (B.9c), we obtain the expression for the curl of a vector
in spherical coordinates as

1 0 0Au
§ : A = c (Af sin u) - da
r sin u 0u 0f r
1 1 0Ar 0 1 0 0Ar
+ c - (rAf) dau + c (rAu) - da
r sin u 0f 0r r 0r 0u f
ar au af
r2 sin u r sin u r
5 0 0 0 5
= (B.10)
0r 0u 0f
Ar rAu r sin uAf
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Appendix B 425

To find the expression for the divergence, we make use of the basic definition of
the divergence of a vector given by (B.4) and by evaluating its right side for the box of
Figure B.2, we obtain

[Ar]r + dr(r + dr)2 sin u du df - [Ar]rr2 sin u du df

c + [Au]u + dur sin (u + du) dr df - [Au]ur sin u dr df s

#
§ A = Lim
dr : 0
+ [Af]f + dfr dr du - [Af]fr dr du
r2 sin u dr du df
du : 0
df : 0

[r2Ar]r + dr - [r2Ar]r [Au sin u]u + du - [Au sin u]u

= Lim + Lim
dr : 0 2
r dr du : 0 r sin u du
[Af]f + df - [Af]f
+ Lim
df : 0 r sin u df

1 0 2 1 0 1 0Af
= 2 0r
(r Ar) + (Au sin u) + (B.11)
r r sin u 0u r sin u 0f

To obtain the expression for the gradient of a scalar, we recall from Appendix A
that in spherical coordinates,

dl = dr ar + r du au + r sin u df af (B.12)

and hence

0£ 0£ 0£
d£ = dr + du + df
0r 0u 0f

= a
0£
0r
ar +
1 0£
r 0u
au +
1 0£ #
a b (dr ar + r du au + r sin u df af)
r sin u 0f f
= §£ dl# (B.13)

Thus,

0£ 1 0£ 1 0£
§£ = a + a + a (B.14)
0r r r 0u u r sin u 0f f

REVIEW QUESTIONS
B.1. Briefly discuss the basic definition of the curl of a vector.
B.2. Justify the application of the basic definition of the curl of a vector to determine sepa-
rately the individual components of the curl.
B.3. How would you generalize the interpretations for the components of the curl of a vec-
tor in terms of the lateral derivatives involving the components of the vector to hold in
cylindrical and spherical coordinate systems?
Z02_RAO3333_1_SE_APPB.QXD 4/9/08 2:42 PM Page 426

426 Appendix B Curl, Divergence, and Gradient

B.4. Briefly discuss the basic definition of the divergence of a vector.

B.5. How would you generalize the interpretation for the divergence of a vector in terms of
the longitudinal derivatives involving the components of the vector to hold in cylindri-
cal and spherical coordinate systems?
B.6. Provide general interpretation for the components of the gradient of a scalar.

PROBLEMS
B.1. Find the curl and the divergence for each of the following vectors in cylindrical coordi-
1 1
nates: (a) r cos f ar - r sin f af; (b) ar; (c) af.
r r
B.2. Find the gradient for each of the following scalar functions in cylindrical coordinates:
1
(a) cos f; (b) r sin f.
r
B.3. Find the expansion for the Laplacian, that is, the divergence of the gradient, of a scalar
in cylindrical coordinates.
B.4. Find the curl and the divergence for each of the following vectors in spherical coordi-
e- r 1
nates: (a) r2 ar + r sin u au; (b) a ; (c) ar.
r u r2
B.5. Find the gradient for each of the following scalar functions in spherical coordinates:
sin u
(a) ; (b) r cos u.
r
B.6. Find the expansion for the Laplacian, that is, the divergence of the gradient, of a scalar
in spherical coordinates.