How can one derive surface area Jacobians in spherical coordinates?

In summary, the speaker is trying to find the surface area Jacobians in spherical coordinates and has been able to use the divergence theorem to find them top-down. However, they are unsure of how to derive them in the first place and have tried using a matrix to map the coordinates without success. They found that the scale factors matched their needed surface area Jacobians and are now wondering how to find these scale factors in a non-top-down manner. They have searched online for resources, but have not found a helpful explanation. They are also unsure if they are using the correct terminology and are wondering about the connection between spherical coordinates and surface area.
  • #1
sriracha
30
0
So I've been trying to figure out how to find the surface area Jacobians in spherical coordinates (I know how to use it to find the volume Jacobian). Using the divergence theorem I was able to find these Jacobians top-down, however, I am unsure to how one would derive them in the first place. I have tried playing around with matrix that maps your r, θ, [itex]\phi[/itex] onto x, y, z, without success. I know that there is something to do with a tangent plane here as well, but this is where I get very lost.

Scouring the interwebs, I found that the scale factors matched my surface area Jacobians (well not directly, but they matched what I needed to multiply into my surface integral when I was using d[itex]\phi[/itex] and d[itex]\theta[/itex] to "sweep" across my surface. To explain this better I will list the scale factors:
h_r=1
h_[itex]\theta[/itex]=rsin[itex]\phi[/itex]
h_[itex]\phi[/itex]=r
So if I was trying to find the area of a face with normal vector r I would need to use h_[itex]\theta[/itex]=rsin[itex]\phi[/itex] and h_[itex]\phi[/itex]=r (since d[itex]\phi and d\theta[/itex] sweep across this face), so r^2sin[itex]\phi[/itex], times d[itex]\theta[/itex]d[itex]\phi[/itex] to find the area of this face.)

My question now is how do I find these scales factors in a non-top-down manner. I tried looking here: http://mathworld.wolfram.com/ScaleFactor.html, but it was in Chinese.

I am teaching myself this so please correct me if I am using the wrong terms (in particular, I doubt there are such things called a surface area or volume Jacobian, I just lack a better, more correct descriptor).
 
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  • #2
What, exactly, is a "non-top-down" manner??
 
  • #3
what do spherical coordinates have to do with surface area?
 

1. What is a scale factor and why is it important?

A scale factor is a number that describes how much an object has been enlarged or reduced in size. It is important in mathematics because it allows us to compare the size of objects or figures by using a common unit of measurement.

2. How do you calculate a scale factor?

A scale factor can be calculated by dividing the corresponding lengths of two similar objects or figures. For example, if one side of a smaller triangle is 3 cm and the corresponding side of a larger triangle is 6 cm, the scale factor would be 6/3 = 2.

3. What is the difference between a scale factor and a Jacobian?

A scale factor is a single number that represents the change in size of an object, while a Jacobian is a matrix that represents the change in size and orientation of an object. They are both used to describe transformations in mathematics, but a Jacobian provides more information about the transformation.

4. How do scale factors and Jacobians relate to each other?

Scale factors and Jacobians are related in that the scale factor is the determinant of the Jacobian matrix. This means that the scale factor is a single number that summarizes the change in size and orientation described by the Jacobian matrix.

5. Can scale factors and Jacobians be negative?

Yes, scale factors and Jacobians can be negative. A negative scale factor indicates that the object has been reflected or flipped, while a negative Jacobian indicates that the transformation has changed the orientation of the object.

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