Cartesian unit vectors expressed by Cylindrical unit vectors

In summary, the expression for Cartesian unit vectors expressed by cylindrical unit vectors can be thought of in terms of matrices by applying the inverse of the given matrix to get a vector with the unit vectors i and j. This inverse matrix is obtained by swapping the signs of the sine terms in the original matrix. This approach can help in understanding the expression in a more geometric way.
  • #1
chenrim
17
0
please someone explain me the following expression for Cartesian unit vectors expressed by the cylindrical unit vectors:

http://web.mit.edu/8.02t/www/materials/modules/ReviewB.pdf
at page B-8 line B.2.4

i would like to know which steps led to it.

thanks,

Chen
 
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  • #2
chenrim said:
please someone explain me the following expression for Cartesian unit vectors expressed by the cylindrical unit vectors:

http://web.mit.edu/8.02t/www/materials/modules/ReviewB.pdf
at page B-8 line B.2.4

i would like to know which steps led to it.

thanks,

Chen
One way to think of this is in terms of matrices:
$$ \begin{bmatrix} \hat{\rho} \\ \hat{\phi} \end{bmatrix} = \begin{bmatrix} cos(\phi) & sin(\phi) \\ -sin(\phi) & cos(\phi) \end{bmatrix} \begin{bmatrix} \hat{i} \\ \hat{j}\end{bmatrix}$$
Apply the inverse of the above matrix to get a vector with the unit vectors i and j. The inverse is:
$$\begin{bmatrix} cos(\phi) & -sin(\phi) \\ -sin(\phi) & cos(\phi) \end{bmatrix} $$
 
  • #3
I tried to understand it by the geometry of it
but that's a better way to understand it.

Thanks
 

Related to Cartesian unit vectors expressed by Cylindrical unit vectors

Question 1: What are Cartesian unit vectors?

Cartesian unit vectors are a set of three mutually perpendicular vectors (x, y, z) that are used to express the position and direction of a point or object in three-dimensional space. They are often denoted as i, j, and k and are commonly used in mathematics, physics, and engineering.

Question 2: What are cylindrical unit vectors?

Cylindrical unit vectors are a set of three vectors (ρ, φ, z) that are used to express the position and direction of a point or object in cylindrical coordinates. They are perpendicular to each other and are commonly used in physics and engineering to describe rotational motion or cylindrical objects.

Question 3: How are Cartesian and cylindrical unit vectors related?

Cartesian and cylindrical unit vectors are related through a mathematical transformation known as a coordinate transformation. This transformation allows for the conversion of coordinates and vectors between the Cartesian and cylindrical coordinate systems.

Question 4: How are Cartesian unit vectors expressed in terms of cylindrical unit vectors?

The relationship between Cartesian and cylindrical unit vectors can be expressed as:i = cos(φ)ρ + sin(φ)zj = -sin(φ)ρ + cos(φ)zk = kwhere ρ is the radial distance, φ is the angle, and z is the height in the cylindrical coordinate system.

Question 5: Why are Cartesian and cylindrical unit vectors important?

Cartesian and cylindrical unit vectors are important because they provide a convenient way to express and work with three-dimensional coordinates and vectors. They are widely used in various fields of science and engineering, such as physics, mathematics, and computer graphics, to describe the position, direction, and movement of objects in three-dimensional space.

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