# Contravariant components and spherical component of acceleration

1. ### world line

8
Hello
i know how to derive the components of acceleration in other coordinates like spherical
start here :

and at last we have :

also , i know that acceleration is a contravariant vector :

but when i use that definition i don't derive the above result for acceleration !?
and reach to a different results
so what is my mistake ?

2. ### George Jones

6,474
Staff Emeritus
It is very difficult to find your mistake without seeing what you have done.

3. ### world line

8
for example :

that it is different with the corresponding spherical component

if we use the covaraint unit vector the problem will be solved !
and both solution will have unique result
is it correct ?

4. ### George Jones

6,474
Staff Emeritus
This expression relates the components of a vector with respect to one coordinate basis to the components of the same vector with respect to a different coordinate basis. In general, coordinate basis vectors are not unit vectors. Standard Cartesian coordinate vectors are unit vectors, but spherical coordinate vectors are unit vectors.

is with respect to contravariant unit vectors.

8
Thank you