Div and curl operators in a left-handed coordinate system?

In summary, the divergence and curl operators for a right-handed cartesian coordinate system are represented by the equations \nabla \cdot A = \frac{\partial A_{x}}{\partial x} + \frac{\partial A_{y}}{\partial y} + \frac{\partial A_{z}}{\partial z} and \nabla \times \mathbf{A} = (\frac{\partial A_{z}}{\partial y} - \frac{\partial A_{y}}{\partial z}) \widehat{x} - (\frac{\partial A_{z}}{\partial x} - \frac{\partial A_{x}}{\partial z}) \widehat{y} + (\frac{\partial A_{
  • #1
Aidyan
180
13
In a right-handed cartesian coordinate system the divergence and curl operators are respectively:

[itex]\nabla \cdot A= \frac{\partial A_{x}}{\partial x}+\frac{\partial A_{y}}{\partial y}+\frac{\partial A_{z}}{\partial z}[/itex]

[itex]\nabla \times \mathbf{A}= \begin{vmatrix}
\widehat{x} & \widehat{y} & \widehat{z} \\
\frac{\partial}{\partial x} & \frac{\partial}{\partial y} & \frac{\partial}{\partial z} \\
A_{x} & A_{y} & A_{z} \\
\end{vmatrix}= (\frac{\partial A_{z}}{\partial y}-\frac{\partial A_{y}}{\partial z}) \widehat{x}-(\frac{\partial A_{z}}{\partial x}-\frac{\partial A_{x}}{\partial z}) \widehat{y}+(\frac{\partial A_{y}}{\partial x}-\frac{\partial A_{x}}{\partial y}) \widehat{z}[/itex]

While, for the (still right-handed) cylindrical coordinate system they are:

[itex]\nabla \cdot \mathbf{A}=\frac{A_{r}}{r} + \frac{\partial A_{r}}{\partial r} + \frac{1}{r} \frac{\partial A_{\theta}}{\partial \theta}+\frac{\partial A_{z}}{\partial z}[/itex][itex]\nabla \times \mathbf{A}= \left( \frac{1}{r} \frac{\partial A_{z}}{\partial \theta}- \frac{\partial A_{\theta}}{\partial z} \right) \overrightarrow{e_{r}} +
\left( \frac{\partial A_{r}}{\partial z}- \frac{\partial A_{z}}{\partial r} \right) \overrightarrow{e_{\theta}} +
\left( \frac{A_{\theta}}{r} + \frac{\partial A_{\theta}}{\partial r}- \frac{1}{r} \frac{\partial A_{r}}{\partial \theta} \right) \overrightarrow{e_{z}}[/itex]

For a left-handed cartesian and cylindrical coordinate system is it just a matter of changing some sign in the third component? Or is it not that immediate? I'm bit unsure and confused about that... can someone help?
 
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  • #2
Orientation is a deliberate order. You see from the formulas, that the cross products depend on this order, so there is a left and right for it, i.e. a change of sign for the cross product if you switch from one to the other system.
 

1. What are div and curl operators in a left-handed coordinate system?

Div and curl operators are mathematical operations used to describe the behavior of vector fields in a given coordinate system. In a left-handed coordinate system, the div operator (represented by ∇ ·) measures the rate at which a vector field is diverging or converging at a specific point, while the curl operator (represented by ∇ ×) measures the rotational behavior of the vector field around that point.

2. How are div and curl operators related to each other in a left-handed coordinate system?

In a left-handed coordinate system, the div and curl operators are related by the fundamental theorem of vector calculus, which states that the curl of the gradient of a scalar field is equal to zero, and the divergence of the curl of a vector field is equal to zero. This relationship allows for the simplification of complex vector calculations and is essential in many areas of physics and engineering.

3. What are some applications of div and curl operators in a left-handed coordinate system?

Div and curl operators are used in a variety of fields, including fluid mechanics, electromagnetism, and quantum mechanics. For example, the curl operator is used to describe the behavior of magnetic fields in electromagnetism, while the div operator is used to calculate the net flow of a fluid in a given region. These operators are also crucial in the study of vector calculus and are used extensively in fields such as computer graphics and computer vision.

4. How do div and curl operators behave in a left-handed coordinate system compared to a right-handed coordinate system?

Div and curl operators behave the same way in both left-handed and right-handed coordinate systems. However, the direction of the resulting vector may differ due to the orientation of the coordinate system. In a left-handed coordinate system, the direction of the resulting vector will be opposite to that in a right-handed coordinate system.

5. Can div and curl operators be used in any type of coordinate system?

Yes, div and curl operators can be used in both left-handed and right-handed coordinate systems, as well as more complex coordinate systems such as cylindrical or spherical coordinates. However, the resulting calculations may differ depending on the orientation and type of coordinate system being used.

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