What type of coordinate system?

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The discussion centers on the use of the curvilinear spherical coordinate system, denoted by the notations er, eθ, and eΦ sinθ. This coordinate system is particularly useful for describing phenomena with spherical symmetry, such as Earth's magnetic field, the electric field from charged spheres, and the hydrogen atom. The inclusion of sinθ in the notation serves to account for the geometry of spherical coordinates. Understanding this system is crucial for accurately modeling and analyzing spherical symmetrical systems. The conversation highlights the importance of selecting the appropriate coordinate system for specific physical applications.
shanepitts
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This is a very basic question, but what type of coordinate system is this?

When is it useful to use?

er, eθ, eΦ sinθ
 
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Those notations are typically used for the so-called (curvilinear) spherical coordinate system. It's useful when the system to be described has a pronounced spherical symmetry, for example our Earth's magnetic field, electric field due to a charges sphere, and hydrogen atom. By the way what is that ##\sin\theta## for?
 
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Here is a little puzzle from the book 100 Geometric Games by Pierre Berloquin. The side of a small square is one meter long and the side of a larger square one and a half meters long. One vertex of the large square is at the center of the small square. The side of the large square cuts two sides of the small square into one- third parts and two-thirds parts. What is the area where the squares overlap?

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