Orthogonal Curvilinear Coordinates and Dirac Delta Function
Calculus โ II | Undergraduate Mathematics
In many physical and engineering problems, the geometry of motion or fields may not be suitable for Cartesian (x, y, z) coordinates. To handle such problems efficiently, Orthogonal Curvilinear Coordinate Systems like Cylindrical and Spherical are used.
This chapter also introduces an important mathematical tool โ the Dirac delta function, widely used in quantum mechanics, electrical engineering, and signal processing.
๐น 1๏ธโฃ Orthogonal Curvilinear Coordinates
A coordinate system is called orthogonal if its coordinate surfaces intersect at right angles.
Examples:
- Cartesian Coordinates (x,y,z)
- Cylindrical Coordinates (r,ฯ,z)
- Spherical Coordinates (r,ฮธ,ฯ)
Each system defines unit vectors that are perpendicular to one another.
(A) Cartesian Coordinates
(x,y,z)
Unit vectors: i^,j^โ,k^
Scale factors: hxโ=hyโ=hzโ=1
(B) Cylindrical Coordinates
(r,ฯ,z)
Relationships:x=rcosฯ,y=rsinฯ,z=z
Unit vectors: e^rโ,e^ฯโ,e^zโ
Scale factors:hrโ=1,hฯโ=r,hzโ=1
(C) Spherical Coordinates
(r,ฮธ,ฯ)
- r: Distance from origin
- ฮธ: Polar angle (from z-axis)
- ฯ: Azimuthal angle (from x-axis)
Scale factors:hrโ=1,hฮธโ=r,hฯโ=rsinฮธ
๐น 2๏ธโฃ Vector Differential Operators
These are used to analyze fields like velocity, electric & magnetic fields.
Gradient (โf)
| System | Formula |
|---|---|
| Cartesian | โf=i^โxโfโ+j^โโyโfโ+k^โzโfโ |
| Cylindrical | โf=e^rโโrโfโ+e^ฯโr1โโฯโfโ+e^zโโzโfโ |
| Spherical | โf=e^rโโrโfโ+e^ฮธโr1โโฮธโfโ+e^ฯโrsinฮธ1โโฯโfโ |
Divergence (โยทA)
| System | Formula |
|---|---|
| Cartesian | โxโAxโโ+โyโAyโโ+โzโAzโโ |
| Cylindrical | r1โโrโ(rArโ)โ+r1โโฯโAฯโโ+โzโAzโโ |
| Spherical | r21โโrโ(r2Arโ)โ+rsinฮธ1โโฮธโ(Aฮธโsinฮธ)โ+rsinฮธ1โโฯโAฯโโ |
Curl (โรA) โ not writing full forms here due to length, but included in syllabus.
Laplacian (โยฒf)
| System | Formula |
|---|---|
| Cartesian | โ2f=โx2โ2fโ+โy2โ2fโ+โz2โ2fโ |
| Cylindrical | โ2f=r1โโrโโ(rโrโfโ)+r21โโฯ2โ2fโ+โz2โ2fโ |
| Spherical | โ2f=r21โโrโโ(r2โrโfโ)+r2sinฮธ1โโฮธโโ(sinฮธโฮธโfโ)+r2sin2ฮธ1โโฯ2โ2fโ |
๐น 3๏ธโฃ Velocity and Acceleration in Cylindrical and Spherical Coordinates
Used in motion along circular or radial paths.
Cylindrical Motion
Velocity:v=rหe^rโ+rฯหโe^ฯโ+zหe^zโ
Acceleration:a=(rยจโrฯหโ2)e^rโ+(rฯยจโ+2rหฯหโ)e^ฯโ+zยจe^zโ
Spherical Motion
Velocity:v=rหe^rโ+rฮธหe^ฮธโ+rsinฮธฯหโe^ฯโ
Acceleration includes radial, polar & azimuthal components (important in planetary motion).
Dirac Delta Function
๐น 4๏ธโฃ Definition
Not a normal function โ generalized function or distribution.
Defined such that:ฮด(x)=0(x๎ =0),and โซโโโโฮด(x)dx=1
Sampling Property:โซโโโโf(x)ฮด(xโa)dx=f(a)
Used to represent:
- Point charges
- Point mass
- Impulse forces
๐น 5๏ธโฃ Representation as Limit Functions
(A) Gaussian Limit
ฮด(x)=ฯโ0limโฯ2ฯโ1โeโx2/2ฯ2
(B) Rectangular Function Limit
ฮด(x)=ฯตโ0limโ{2ฯต1โ,0,โโฃxโฃ<ฯตโฃxโฃ>ฯตโ
๐น 6๏ธโฃ Key Properties of Dirac Delta
| Property | Expression |
|---|---|
| Evenness | ฮด(โx)=ฮด(x) |
| Sifting | โซf(x)ฮด(xโa)dx=f(a) |
| Derivative | โซf(x)ฮดโฒ(xโa)dx=โfโฒ(a) |
| Scaling | (\delta(ax)=\frac{1}{ |
โ Summary
| Concept | Applications |
|---|---|
| Orthogonal Curvilinear Coordinates | Fluid mechanics, electromagnetism, celestial motion |
| Gradient, Divergence, Curl | Field analysis in Physics |
| Laplacian | Heat & wave equations |
| Velocity & Acceleration in Curved Motion | Robotics, satellites, mechanical motion |
| Dirac Delta Function | Signals, quantum mechanics, electrical circuits |
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