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.


๐Ÿ”น 1๏ธโƒฃ Orthogonal Curvilinear Coordinates

A coordinate system is called orthogonal if its coordinate surfaces intersect at right angles.

Examples:

  • Cartesian Coordinates (x,y,z)(x, y, z)(x,y,z)
  • Cylindrical Coordinates (r,ฯ•,z)(r, \phi, z)(r,ฯ•,z)
  • Spherical Coordinates (r,ฮธ,ฯ•)(r, \theta, \phi)(r,ฮธ,ฯ•)

Each system defines unit vectors that are perpendicular to one another.


(A) Cartesian Coordinates

(x,y,z)(x, y, z)(x,y,z)

Unit vectors: i^,j^,k^\hat{i}, \hat{j}, \hat{k}i^,j^โ€‹,k^
Scale factors: hx=hy=hz=1h_x=h_y=h_z=1hxโ€‹=hyโ€‹=hzโ€‹=1


(B) Cylindrical Coordinates

(r,ฯ•,z)(r, \phi, z)(r,ฯ•,z)

Relationships:x=rcosโกฯ•,y=rsinโกฯ•,z=zx=r\cos\phi, \quad y=r\sin\phi, \quad z=zx=rcosฯ•,y=rsinฯ•,z=z

Unit vectors: e^r,e^ฯ•,e^z\hat{e}_r, \hat{e}_\phi, \hat{e}_ze^rโ€‹,e^ฯ•โ€‹,e^zโ€‹

Scale factors:hr=1,hฯ•=r,hz=1h_r = 1,\quad h_\phi = r,\quad h_z=1hrโ€‹=1,hฯ•โ€‹=r,hzโ€‹=1


(C) Spherical Coordinates

(r,ฮธ,ฯ•)(r, \theta, \phi)(r,ฮธ,ฯ•)

  • rrr: Distance from origin
  • ฮธ\thetaฮธ: Polar angle (from z-axis)
  • ฯ•\phiฯ•: Azimuthal angle (from x-axis)

Scale factors:hr=1,hฮธ=r,hฯ•=rsinโกฮธh_r =1,\quad h_\theta=r,\quad h_\phi = r\sin\thetahrโ€‹=1,hฮธโ€‹=r,hฯ•โ€‹=rsinฮธ


๐Ÿ”น 2๏ธโƒฃ Vector Differential Operators

These are used to analyze fields like velocity, electric & magnetic fields.


Gradient (โˆ‡f)

SystemFormula
Cartesianโˆ‡f=i^โˆ‚fโˆ‚x+j^โˆ‚fโˆ‚y+k^โˆ‚fโˆ‚z\nabla f = \hat{i}\frac{\partial f}{\partial x} + \hat{j}\frac{\partial f}{\partial y}+ \hat{k}\frac{\partial f}{\partial z}โˆ‡f=i^โˆ‚xโˆ‚fโ€‹+j^โ€‹โˆ‚yโˆ‚fโ€‹+k^โˆ‚zโˆ‚fโ€‹
Cylindricalโˆ‡f=e^rโˆ‚fโˆ‚r+e^ฯ•1rโˆ‚fโˆ‚ฯ•+e^zโˆ‚fโˆ‚z\nabla f = \hat{e}_r \frac{\partial f}{\partial r} + \hat{e}_\phi \frac{1}{r}\frac{\partial f}{\partial \phi}+ \hat{e}_z\frac{\partial f}{\partial z}โˆ‡f=e^rโ€‹โˆ‚rโˆ‚fโ€‹+e^ฯ•โ€‹r1โ€‹โˆ‚ฯ•โˆ‚fโ€‹+e^zโ€‹โˆ‚zโˆ‚fโ€‹
Sphericalโˆ‡f=e^rโˆ‚fโˆ‚r+e^ฮธ1rโˆ‚fโˆ‚ฮธ+e^ฯ•1rsinโกฮธโˆ‚fโˆ‚ฯ•\nabla f = \hat{e}_r \frac{\partial f}{\partial r} + \hat{e}_\theta \frac{1}{r}\frac{\partial f}{\partial \theta} + \hat{e}_\phi \frac{1}{r\sin\theta}\frac{\partial f}{\partial \phi}โˆ‡f=e^rโ€‹โˆ‚rโˆ‚fโ€‹+e^ฮธโ€‹r1โ€‹โˆ‚ฮธโˆ‚fโ€‹+e^ฯ•โ€‹rsinฮธ1โ€‹โˆ‚ฯ•โˆ‚fโ€‹

Divergence (โˆ‡ยทA)

SystemFormula
Cartesianโˆ‚Axโˆ‚x+โˆ‚Ayโˆ‚y+โˆ‚Azโˆ‚z\frac{\partial A_x}{\partial x} + \frac{\partial A_y}{\partial y}+ \frac{\partial A_z}{\partial z}โˆ‚xโˆ‚Axโ€‹โ€‹+โˆ‚yโˆ‚Ayโ€‹โ€‹+โˆ‚zโˆ‚Azโ€‹โ€‹
Cylindrical1rโˆ‚(rAr)โˆ‚r+1rโˆ‚Aฯ•โˆ‚ฯ•+โˆ‚Azโˆ‚z\frac{1}{r}\frac{\partial (rA_r)}{\partial r} + \frac{1}{r}\frac{\partial A_\phi}{\partial \phi} + \frac{\partial A_z}{\partial z}r1โ€‹โˆ‚rโˆ‚(rArโ€‹)โ€‹+r1โ€‹โˆ‚ฯ•โˆ‚Aฯ•โ€‹โ€‹+โˆ‚zโˆ‚Azโ€‹โ€‹
Spherical1r2โˆ‚(r2Ar)โˆ‚r+1rsinโกฮธโˆ‚(Aฮธsinโกฮธ)โˆ‚ฮธ+1rsinโกฮธโˆ‚Aฯ•โˆ‚ฯ•\frac{1}{r^2}\frac{\partial(r^2 A_r)}{\partial r} + \frac{1}{r\sin\theta}\frac{\partial(A_\theta\sin\theta)}{\partial \theta} + \frac{1}{r\sin\theta}\frac{\partial A_\phi}{\partial \phi}r21โ€‹โˆ‚rโˆ‚(r2Arโ€‹)โ€‹+rsinฮธ1โ€‹โˆ‚ฮธโˆ‚(Aฮธโ€‹sinฮธ)โ€‹+rsinฮธ1โ€‹โˆ‚ฯ•โˆ‚Aฯ•โ€‹โ€‹

Curl (โˆ‡ร—A) โ€” not writing full forms here due to length, but included in syllabus.


Laplacian (โˆ‡ยฒf)

SystemFormula
Cartesianโˆ‡2f=โˆ‚2fโˆ‚x2+โˆ‚2fโˆ‚y2+โˆ‚2fโˆ‚z2\nabla^2f = \frac{\partial^2 f}{\partial x^2}+\frac{\partial^2 f}{\partial y^2} +\frac{\partial^2 f}{\partial z^2}โˆ‡2f=โˆ‚x2โˆ‚2fโ€‹+โˆ‚y2โˆ‚2fโ€‹+โˆ‚z2โˆ‚2fโ€‹
Cylindricalโˆ‡2f=1rโˆ‚โˆ‚r(rโˆ‚fโˆ‚r)+1r2โˆ‚2fโˆ‚ฯ•2+โˆ‚2fโˆ‚z2\nabla^2 f = \frac{1}{r}\frac{\partial}{\partial r}(r\frac{\partial f}{\partial r}) + \frac{1}{r^2}\frac{\partial^2 f}{\partial \phi^2}+ \frac{\partial^2 f}{\partial z^2}โˆ‡2f=r1โ€‹โˆ‚rโˆ‚โ€‹(rโˆ‚rโˆ‚fโ€‹)+r21โ€‹โˆ‚ฯ•2โˆ‚2fโ€‹+โˆ‚z2โˆ‚2fโ€‹
Sphericalโˆ‡2f=1r2โˆ‚โˆ‚r(r2โˆ‚fโˆ‚r)+1r2sinโกฮธโˆ‚โˆ‚ฮธ(sinโกฮธโˆ‚fโˆ‚ฮธ)+1r2sinโก2ฮธโˆ‚2fโˆ‚ฯ•2\nabla^2 f = \frac{1}{r^2}\frac{\partial}{\partial r}\left(r^2\frac{\partial f}{\partial r}\right) + \frac{1}{r^2 \sin\theta}\frac{\partial}{\partial\theta}\left(\sin\theta\frac{\partial f}{\partial\theta}\right) + \frac{1}{r^2\sin^2\theta}\frac{\partial^2f}{\partial\phi^2}โˆ‡2f=r21โ€‹โˆ‚rโˆ‚โ€‹(r2โˆ‚rโˆ‚fโ€‹)+r2sinฮธ1โ€‹โˆ‚ฮธโˆ‚โ€‹(sinฮธโˆ‚ฮธโˆ‚fโ€‹)+r2sin2ฮธ1โ€‹โˆ‚ฯ•2โˆ‚2fโ€‹

๐Ÿ”น 3๏ธโƒฃ Velocity and Acceleration in Cylindrical and Spherical Coordinates

Used in motion along circular or radial paths.

Cylindrical Motion

Velocity:vโƒ—=rห™e^r+rฯ•ห™e^ฯ•+zห™e^z\vec{v} = \dot{r}\hat{e}_r + r\dot{\phi}\hat{e}_\phi + \dot{z}\hat{e}_zv=rห™e^rโ€‹+rฯ•ห™โ€‹e^ฯ•โ€‹+zห™e^zโ€‹

Acceleration:aโƒ—=(rยจโˆ’rฯ•ห™2)e^r+(rฯ•ยจ+2rห™ฯ•ห™)e^ฯ•+zยจe^z\vec{a} = (\ddot{r} – r\dot{\phi}^2)\hat{e}_r + (r\ddot{\phi}+2\dot{r}\dot{\phi})\hat{e}_\phi + \ddot{z}\hat{e}_za=(rยจโˆ’rฯ•ห™โ€‹2)e^rโ€‹+(rฯ•ยจโ€‹+2rห™ฯ•ห™โ€‹)e^ฯ•โ€‹+zยจe^zโ€‹


Spherical Motion

Velocity:vโƒ—=rห™e^r+rฮธห™e^ฮธ+rsinโกฮธโ€‰ฯ•ห™e^ฯ•\vec{v} = \dot{r}\hat{e}_r + r\dot{\theta}\hat{e}_\theta + r\sin\theta\,\dot{\phi}\hat{e}_\phiv=rห™e^rโ€‹+rฮธห™e^ฮธโ€‹+rsinฮธฯ•ห™โ€‹e^ฯ•โ€‹

Acceleration includes radial, polar & azimuthal components (important in planetary motion).


Dirac Delta Function


๐Ÿ”น 4๏ธโƒฃ Definition

Not a normal function โ†’ generalized function or distribution.

Defined such that:ฮด(x)=0(xโ‰ 0),and โˆซโˆ’โˆžโˆžฮด(x)dx=1\delta(x) = 0 \quad (x \neq 0),\quad \text{and } \int_{-\infty}^{\infty}\delta(x)dx = 1ฮด(x)=0(x๎€ =0),and โˆซโˆ’โˆžโˆžโ€‹ฮด(x)dx=1

Sampling Property:โˆซโˆ’โˆžโˆžf(x)ฮด(xโˆ’a)โ€‰dx=f(a)\int_{-\infty}^{\infty} f(x)\delta(x-a)\,dx = f(a)โˆซโˆ’โˆžโˆžโ€‹f(x)ฮด(xโˆ’a)dx=f(a)

Used to represent:

  • Point charges
  • Point mass
  • Impulse forces

๐Ÿ”น 5๏ธโƒฃ Representation as Limit Functions

(A) Gaussian Limit

ฮด(x)=limโกฯƒโ†’01ฯƒ2ฯ€eโˆ’x2/2ฯƒ2\delta(x) = \lim_{\sigma \to 0} \frac{1}{\sigma\sqrt{2\pi}}e^{-x^2/2\sigma^2}ฮด(x)=ฯƒโ†’0limโ€‹ฯƒ2ฯ€โ€‹1โ€‹eโˆ’x2/2ฯƒ2

(B) Rectangular Function Limit

ฮด(x)=limโกฯตโ†’0{12ฯต,โˆฃxโˆฃ<ฯต0,โˆฃxโˆฃ>ฯต\delta(x) = \lim_{\epsilon\to 0} \begin{cases} \frac{1}{2\epsilon}, & |x|<\epsilon\\ 0, & |x|>\epsilon \end{cases}ฮด(x)=ฯตโ†’0limโ€‹{2ฯต1โ€‹,0,โ€‹โˆฃxโˆฃ<ฯตโˆฃxโˆฃ>ฯตโ€‹


๐Ÿ”น 6๏ธโƒฃ Key Properties of Dirac Delta

PropertyExpression
Evennessฮด(โˆ’x)=ฮด(x)\delta(-x)=\delta(x)ฮด(โˆ’x)=ฮด(x)
Siftingโˆซf(x)ฮด(xโˆ’a)dx=f(a)\int f(x)\delta(x-a)dx = f(a)โˆซf(x)ฮด(xโˆ’a)dx=f(a)
Derivativeโˆซf(x)ฮดโ€ฒ(xโˆ’a)dx=โˆ’fโ€ฒ(a)\int f(x)\delta'(x-a)dx = -f'(a)โˆซf(x)ฮดโ€ฒ(xโˆ’a)dx=โˆ’fโ€ฒ(a)
Scaling(\delta(ax)=\frac{1}{

โœ” Summary

ConceptApplications
Orthogonal Curvilinear CoordinatesFluid mechanics, electromagnetism, celestial motion
Gradient, Divergence, CurlField analysis in Physics
LaplacianHeat & wave equations
Velocity & Acceleration in Curved MotionRobotics, satellites, mechanical motion
Dirac Delta FunctionSignals, quantum mechanics, electrical circuits

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