Notes on Kinematics in Different Coordinate Systems

Ulrike Zwiers

Spring 2003

1 Cartesian Coordinates
As illustrated in Figure 1, the position of a point in space is defined in terms of Cartesian
coordinates as
 
x
r= y  .
 (1)
z

Alternatively, the position vector r may be expressed with respect to the basis unit
vectors ex , ey , ez defining the axes of the Cartesian coordinate system. As these basis
unit vectors are time-invariant, i. e., they do not change with time, the position, velocity
and acceleration of a particle in space are

r(t) = xex + yey + zez , (2)

v(t) = ẋex + ẏey + żez , (3)
a(t) = ẍex + ÿey + z̈ez , (4)

and the kinetic energy is

1 1
T = mv 2 = m(ẋ2 + ẏ 2 + ż 2 ) . (5)
2 2

2 Cylindrical Coordinates
Using a cylindrical coordinate system, the position of a particle in space is defined in
terms of the cylindrical coordinates ρ, φ, z as
 
ρ cos φ
r =  ρ sin φ  , (6)
z

1
2 CYLINDRICAL COORDINATES 2

ez
ez
eφ

r eρ
ρ
z
φ ey
ex
y x

Figure 1: Cartesian and cylindrical coordinates

where ρ denotes the distance from the z axis to the point of interest, φ describes
the angle from the positive xz plane to the vector defining the point with respect to
the origin of the reference frame, and z coincides with the Cartesian z coordinate as
illustrated in Figure 1.
The basis unit vectors associated with a cylindrical coordinate system are

eρ = cos φ ex + sin φ ey , (7)

eφ = − sin φ ex + cos φ ey , (8)
ez = ez , (9)

defining a right-handed, orthogonal reference frame. However, the basis unit vectors
depend on time since their direction changes as the point moves. The time derivatives
of the basis vectors are

ėρ = φ̇ eφ , (10)
ėφ = −φ̇ eρ , (11)
ėz = 0 , (12)

Thus, the position, velocity and acceleration of a particle in space expressed in terms
of cylindrical coordinates are

r(t) = ρ eρ + z ez , (13)
v(t) = ρ̇ eρ + ρφ̇ eφ + ż ez , (14)
a(t) = (ρ̈ − ρφ̇2 ) eρ + (ρφ̈ + 2ρ̇φ̇) eφ + z̈ ez , (15)

and the kinetic energy is

1 1
T = mv 2 = m(ρ̇2 + ρ2 φ̇2 + ż 2 ) . (16)
2 2
3 SPHERICAL COORDINATES 3

ez
eρ
eφ
r
θ ρ eθ
ey
φ
ex

Figure 2: Spherical coordinates

3 Spherical Coordinates
Using a spherical coordinate system, the position of a particle in space is defined in
terms of the cylindrical coordinates r, θ, φ as
 
r sin θ cos φ
r =  r sin θ sin φ  , (17)
r cos θ
where r denotes the distance from the origin of the reference frame to the point of
interest, θ is the angle between the z axis and the position vector, and φ describes the
angle from the positive xz plane to the plane in which the position vector is lying, as
illustrated in Figure 2.
The basis unit vectors associated with a spherical coordinate system are

er = sin θ cos φ ex + sin θ sin φ ey + cos θ ez , (18)

eθ = cos θ cos φ ex + cos θ sin φ ey − sin θ ez , (19)
eφ = − sin φ ex + cos φ ey , (20)

defining a right-handed, orthogonal reference frame. However, the basis unit vectors
depend on time since their direction changes as the point moves. The time derivatives
of the basis vectors are

ėr = θ̇ eθ + sin θφ̇ eφ , (21)

ėθ = −θ̇ er + cos θφ̇ eφ , (22)
ėφ = − sin θφ̇ er − cos θφ̇ eθ , (23)

Thus, the position, velocity and acceleration of a particle in space expressed in terms
of cylindrical coordinates are

r(t) = r er , (24)
v(t) = ṙ er + rθ̇ eθ + r sin θφ̇ eφ , (25)
a(t) = (r̈ − rθ̇2 − r sin2 θφ̇2 ) er + (rθ̈ + 2ṙθ̇ − r sin θ cos θφ̇2 ) eθ +
+(r sin θφ̈ + 2 sin θṙφ̇ + 2r cos θθ̇φ̇) eφ , (26)
3 SPHERICAL COORDINATES 4

and the kinetic energy is

1 1
T = mv 2 = m(ṙ2 + r2 θ̇2 + ṙ2 sin2 θφ̇2 ) . (27)
2 2