3-D Coordinate Systems

Last updated

Apr 10, 2025
Save as PDF
- Summary Tables
- Summary of Convergence Tests

$\newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} }$

$\newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}}$

$\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}$ $\newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}$

( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) $\newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}$

$\newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}$ $\newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}$

$\newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}$ $\newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}$

$\newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}$

$\newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}$

$\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}$

$\newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}$

$\newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}$

$\newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}$

$\newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}$

$\newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}$

$\newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}$

$\newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}$

$\newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}$

$\newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}$ $\newcommand{\AA}{\unicode[.8,0]{x212B}}$

$\newcommand{\vectorA}[1]{\vec{#1}} % arrow$

$\newcommand{\vectorAt}[1]{\vec{\text{#1}}} % arrow$

$\newcommand{\vectorB}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} }$

$\newcommand{\vectorC}[1]{\textbf{#1}}$

$\newcommand{\vectorD}[1]{\overrightarrow{#1}}$

$\newcommand{\vectorDt}[1]{\overrightarrow{\text{#1}}}$

$\newcommand{\vectE}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash{\mathbf {#1}}}}$

$\newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} }$

$\newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}}$

$\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}$

$\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}$

$\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}$

$\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}$

$\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}$

$\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}$

$\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}$

$\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}$

$\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}$

$\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}$

$\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}$

$\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}$

$\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}$

$\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}$

$\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}$

$\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}$

$\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}$

$\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}$

$\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}$

$\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}$

$\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}$

$\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}$

$\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}$

$\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}$

$\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}$

$\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}$

$\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}$

$\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}$

$\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}$

$\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}$

$\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}$

$\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}$

$\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}$

$\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}$

$\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}$

$\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}$

$\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}$

$\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}$

$\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}$

$\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}$

$\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}$

$\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}$

$\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}$

$\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}$

$\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}$

$\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}$

$\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}$

$\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}$

$\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}$

$\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}$

$\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}$

$\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}$

$\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}$

$\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}$

$\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}$

$\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}$

$\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}$

$\newcommand{\lt}{<}$

$\newcommand{\gt}{>}$

$\newcommand{\amp}{&}$

$\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}$

Cartesian Coordinates

Here is a figure showing the definitions of the three Cartesian coordinates $(x,y,z)$

$cart1.svg$

and here are three figures showing a surface of constant $x\text{,}$ a surface of constant $x\text{,}$ and a surface of constant $z\text{.}$

$cart3.svg$ $cart4.svg$ $cart2.svg$

Finally here is a figure showing the volume element $\mathrm{d}V$ in cartesian coordinates.

$cart5.svg$

Cylindrical Coordinates

Here is a figure showing the definitions of the three cylindrical coordinates

$\begin{align*} r&=\text{ distance from }(0,0,0)\text{ to }(x,y,0)\\ \theta&=\text{ angle between the the $x$ axis and the line joining $(x,y,0)$ to $(0,0,0)$}\\ z&=\text{ signed distance from }(x,y,z) \text{ to the $xy$-plane} \end{align*}$

$cyl1 (1).svg$

The cartesian and cylindrical coordinates are related by

$\begin{align*} x&=r\cos\theta & y&=r\sin\theta & z&=z\\ r&=\sqrt{x^2+y^2} & \theta&=\arctan\frac{y}{x} & z&=z \end{align*}$

Here are three figures showing a surface of constant $r\text{,}$ a surface of constant $\theta\text{,}$ and a surface of constant $z\text{.}$

$cyl3.svg$ $cyl4.svg$ $cyl2.svg$

Finally here is a figure showing the volume element $\mathrm{d}V$ in cylindrical coordinates.

$cyl5.svg$

Spherical Coordinates

Here is a figure showing the definitions of the three spherical coordinates

$\begin{align*} \rho&=\text{ distance from }(0,0,0)\text{ to }(x,y,z)\\ \varphi&=\text{ angle between the $z$ axis and the line joining $(x,y,z)$ to $(0,0,0)$}\\ \theta&=\text{ angle between the $x$ axis and the line joining $(x,y,0)$ to $(0,0,0)$} \end{align*}$

$spherical.svg$

and here are two more figures giving the side and top views of the previous figure.

$sphericalSide.svg$ $sphericalTop.svg$

The cartesian and spherical coordinates are related by

$\begin{align*} x&=\rho\sin\varphi\cos\theta & y&=\rho\sin\varphi\sin\theta & z&=\rho\cos\varphi\\ \rho&=\sqrt{x^2+y^2+z^2} & \theta&=\arctan\frac{y}{x} & \varphi&=\arctan\frac{\sqrt{x^2+y^2}}{z} \end{align*}$

Here are three figures showing a surface of constant $\rho\text{,}$ a surface of constant $\theta\text{,}$ and a surface of constant $\varphi\text{.}$

$spher2.svg$ $spher3.svg$ $spher4.svg$

Finally, here is a figure showing the volume element $\mathrm{d}V$ in spherical coordinates

$spher5.svg$

and two extracts of the above figure to make it easier to see how the factors $\rho\ \mathrm{d}\varphi$ and $\rho\sin\varphi\ \mathrm{d}{\theta}$ arise.

$spher6.svg$ $spher7.svg$

Search

Text Color

Text Size

Margin Size

Font Type

Cartesian Coordinates

Cylindrical Coordinates

Spherical Coordinates

Support Center

How can we help?