Divergence in cylindrical coordinate system

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the derivation of the divergence formula in cylindrical coordinates, specifically addressing the relationships between the unit vectors \(\hat{\rho}\) and \(\hat{\phi}\). The user references a paper from California State Polytechnic University, which provides a detailed explanation but raises questions about the derivatives \(\frac{\partial\hat{\rho}}{\partial\phi} = \hat{\phi}\) and \(\frac{\partial\hat{\phi}}{\partial\phi} = \hat{\rho}\). The user seeks clarification on these derivations and the expression for \(\overline{\rho}\) in terms of Cartesian coordinates.

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Sesse
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I am trying to understand the derivation of the divergence formula in cylindrical coordinates. www.csupomona.edu/~ajm/materials/delcyl.pdf paper does a good job of explaining it but I don't understand 2 things that the author does.
\frac{\partial\hat{\rho}}{\partial\phi} = \hat{\phi} and \frac{\partial\hat{\phi}}{\partial\phi} = \hat{\rho}
Derivation is on page 3.
Can anyone help me understand this?
 
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go back to page 1: "derivation of unit vectors with the coordinates"
 
Sesse said:
I am trying to understand the derivation of the divergence formula in cylindrical coordinates. www.csupomona.edu/~ajm/materials/delcyl.pdf[/URL] paper does a good job of explaining it but I don't understand 2 things that the author does.
[tex]\frac{\partial\hat{\rho}}{\partial\phi} = \hat{\phi}[/tex] and [tex]\frac{\partial\hat{\phi}}{\partial\phi} = \hat{\rho}[/tex]
Derivation is on page 3.
Can anyone help me understand this?[/QUOTE]

As note below, one finds z^ etc (unit vector), in variation vectors does the differentiation with respect to [tex]\rho[/tex],[tex]\phi[/tex], z

OK
Now my question is how do you find

[tex]\overline{}[/tex][tex]\rho[/tex] (line above, could not get that to work)= x [tex]\widehat{}[/tex]x+ y [tex]\widehat {}[/tex]y
 
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that one is found in page 1 of the link
 

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