Relation between Vector Norms in Cylindrical and Cartesian Coordinates

In summary, the relations between vectors in cylindrical and Cartesian coordinate systems involve a rotation by an angle phi around the z-axis. The vectors can be written in matrix form, with the matrix being orthogonal. The norms of the vectors are the same, and the norm of a vector in cylindrical coordinates is defined as the square root of rho squared plus z squared. For the inner product, the angle between the two vectors must be considered, and it may be easier to first convert to Cartesian coordinates.
  • #1
LagrangeEuler
717
20
Relations between vectors in cylindrical and
Cartesian
coordinate systems are given by
[tex]\vec{e}_{\rho}=\cos \varphi \vec{e}_x+\sin \varphi \vec{e}_y[/tex]
[tex]\vec{e}_{\varphi}=-\sin \varphi \vec{e}_x+\cos \varphi \vec{e}_y [/tex]
[tex] \vec{e}_z=\vec{e}_z [/tex]
We can write this in form
[tex]
\begin{bmatrix}
\vec{e}_{\rho} \\[0.3em]
\vec{e}_{\varphi} \\[0.3em]
\vec{e}_z \\[0.3em]


\end{bmatrix}
=\begin{bmatrix}
\cos \varphi & \sin \varphi & 0 \\[0.3em]
-\sin \varphi & \cos \varphi & 0 \\[0.3em]
0 & 0 & 1 \\[0.3em]


\end{bmatrix}
\begin{bmatrix}
\vec{e}_x \\[0.3em]
\vec{e}_y \\[0.3em]
\vec{e}_z \\[0.3em]


\end{bmatrix}
[/tex]
where matrix ##
\begin{bmatrix}
\cos \varphi & \sin \varphi & 0 \\[0.3em]
-\sin \varphi & \cos \varphi & 0 \\[0.3em]
0 & 0 & 1 \\[0.3em]


\end{bmatrix}## is orthogonal. Then means that norms of the vectors ##
\begin{bmatrix}
\vec{e}_x \\[0.3em]
\vec{e}_y \\[0.3em]
\vec{e}_z \\[0.3em]


\end{bmatrix}## and
##
\begin{bmatrix}
\vec{e}_{\rho} \\[0.3em]
\vec{e}_{\varphi} \\[0.3em]
\vec{e}_z \\[0.3em]


\end{bmatrix}## are the same. But how to define norm of vector
##\begin{bmatrix}
\vec{e}_{\rho} \\[0.3em]
\vec{e}_{\varphi} \\[0.3em]
\vec{e}_z \\[0.3em]


\end{bmatrix}##?
 
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  • #2
LagrangeEuler said:
Relations between vectors in cylindrical and
Cartesian
coordinate systems are given by ...
What is it you are saying here ? Because what you describe is the cartesian coordinates after a rotation over an angle ##\phi## around the z-axis. A vector ##(a,b,c)## in cartesian coordiates is not identical to a vector ##(\rho, \phi, z)## in cylindrical coordinates with ##\rho = a\cos\phi+b\sin\phi\,,\ \ ## etc
 
  • #3
LagrangeEuler said:
But how to define norm of vector
Generally: norm squared of ##\,\vec v\ \ ## is ##\ \ \vec v\cdot\vec v## .
Since the angle between a vector and itself is zero, this is pretty easy:
In cylindrical coordinates ##\sqrt{\rho^2+z^2\ }\ ## and for spherical coordinates simply ##r##.

For the inner product in general you need the angle between the two vectors. Probably easiest to first convert to cartesian coordinates and work it out for the various coordinate systems.
 

1. What is the difference between cylindrical and Cartesian coordinates?

Cylindrical coordinates represent a point in three-dimensional space using the distance from the origin, the angle from a fixed reference direction, and the height above a fixed plane. Cartesian coordinates, also known as rectangular coordinates, represent a point in three-dimensional space using the distance from each of three perpendicular axes.

2. How are vector norms defined in cylindrical coordinates?

Vector norms in cylindrical coordinates are defined using the distance, angle, and height components. The norm of a vector is the magnitude or length of the vector, and it is calculated using the Pythagorean theorem.

3. How do vector norms in cylindrical coordinates relate to those in Cartesian coordinates?

The vector norms in cylindrical coordinates and Cartesian coordinates are related by a conversion formula. This formula takes into account the different distance, angle, and height components in each coordinate system and allows for the conversion of vector norms between the two systems.

4. Are vector norms in cylindrical coordinates and Cartesian coordinates equivalent?

No, vector norms in cylindrical and Cartesian coordinates are not equivalent. They represent the same concept of the magnitude or length of a vector, but they are calculated using different components and have different values for any given vector.

5. How can understanding the relation between vector norms in cylindrical and Cartesian coordinates be useful?

Understanding the relation between vector norms in different coordinate systems can be useful for various applications, such as solving problems in physics, engineering, and computer graphics. It can also aid in visualizing and manipulating three-dimensional objects and understanding the differences and similarities between different coordinate systems.

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