Vector properties Cartesian Coordinate Formulas Cylindrical Coordinates (ρ, ϕ, z)

Cross Product: Differential Elements Coordinate transformation:

q  
i j k dl = dx x̂+dy ŷ+dz ẑ, dS = dy dz x̂+dx dz ŷ+dx dy ẑ ρ = x2 + y2 , ϕ = tan−1 y/x , x = ρ cos ϕ
A × B = Ax A y Az = ∥A∥ ∥B∥ sin θ n̂.
Bx B y Bz dV = dx dy dz. y = ρ sin ϕ, z = z.
Gradient of a Scalar Vector Representation:
Its magnitude is the area of the parallelogram
formed by A and B. Scalar Triple Product: ∂V ∂V ∂V Aρ , Aϕ , Az , A = Aρ ρ̂ + Aϕ ϕ̂ + Az ẑ
∇V = x̂ + ŷ + ẑ.
∂x ∂y ∂z q
|A| = A2ρ + A2ϕ + A2z .
 
a· b×c .
Divergence of a Vector
It gives the signed volume of the paral- Differential Elements:
lelepiped. If a·(b×c) = 0, then a, b, c are linearly ∂Ax ∂A y ∂Az dl = dρ ρ̂+ρ dϕ ϕ̂+dz ẑ, dS = ρ dϕ dz ρ̂+dρ dz ϕ̂+ρ d
∇·A= + + .
dependent. Stokes’ Theorem: ∂x ∂y ∂z
¨  ˛ dV = ρ dρ dϕ dz.
 Curl of a Vector Gradient of a Scalar Field V(ρ, ϕ, z):
∇ × F · dS = F · dr.
S C x̂ ŷ ẑ ∂V 1 ∂V ∂V
∇×A= ∂ ∂ ∂ ∇V = ρ̂ + ϕ̂ + ẑ.
Divergence (Gauss) Theorem: ∂x ∂y ∂z ∂ρ ρ ∂ϕ ∂z
˚ ‹ Ax A y Az
(∇ · F) dV = F · dA. Divergence of a Vector Field A = Aρ ρ̂ + Aϕ ϕ̂ +
 ∂Az ∂A y   ∂Az ∂Ax   ∂A y ∂Ax  Az ẑ:
V S
= x̂ − − ŷ − + ẑ − .
Null Identity 1 (Curl of a Gradient): ∂y ∂z ∂x ∂z ∂x ∂y 1 ∂  1 ∂Aϕ ∂Az
∇·A= ρ Aρ + + .
Laplacian of a Scalar ρ ∂ρ ρ ∂ϕ ∂z
∇ × (∇V) = 0.
∂2 V ∂2 V ∂2 V Curl of a Vector Field: Matrix Form:
If a vector field F is irrotational, it can be written ∇V=
2
+ + 2.
∂x2 ∂y2 ∂z ρ̂ ρ ϕ̂ ẑ
as F = ∇ϕ for some scalar ϕ. 1 ∂ ∂ ∂
∇×A= ∂z .
Null Identity 2 (Divergence of a Curl): Vector Laplacian in Cartesian Coordinates Iden- ρ ∂ρ ∂ϕ

tity Aρ ρ Aϕ Az
∇ · (∇ × A) = 0.    
∇2 A = ∇ ∇ · A − ∇ × ∇ × A . Expanded Form:
If a vector field F is solenoidal, it can be expressed  1 ∂Az ∂Aϕ   ∂Aρ ∂Az 
Expanded Form ∇ × A = ρ̂ − + ϕ̂ −
as F = ∇ × A for some vector A. Helmholtz The-       ρ ∂ϕ ∂z ∂z ∂ρ
orem: ∇2 A = ∇2 Ax x̂ + ∇2 A y ŷ + ∇2 Az ẑ,  ∂Aρ i
F = ∇ϕ + ∇ × A. 1h ∂ 
 ∂2 Ax ∂2 Ax ∂2 Ax   ∂2 A y ∂2 A y ∂2 A y  +ẑ ρ A ϕ − .
ρ ∂ρ ∂ϕ
A vector field is uniquely determined (up to an ∇ A=
2
+ + 2 x̂+ + 2 + 2 ŷ
additive constant) if both its divergence and curl ∂x2 ∂y2 ∂z ∂x2 ∂y ∂z Laplacian: Scalar Field V(ρ, ϕ, z):
are specified everywhere (with suitable bound-  ∂ Az ∂ Az ∂ Az 
2 2 2 1 ∂  ∂V  1 ∂2 V ∂2 V
ary conditions). + + + ẑ. ∇ 2
V = ρ + 2 2 + 2.
∂x2 ∂y2 ∂z2 ρ ∂ρ ∂ρ ρ ∂ϕ ∂z
Spherical Coordinates (r, θ, ϕ) Expanded Form: Coulomb’s Law Electric Fields
1 h ∂ ∂Aθ i
Coordinate Transformations: (∇ × A)r = (Aϕ sin θ) − , Two point charges:
r sin θ ∂θ ∂ϕ
x = r sin θ cos ϕ, y = r sin θ sin ϕ, z = r cos θ, q1 q2 1 q
1 h 1 ∂Ar ∂ i F = ke r̂, ke = , E = ke r̂.
(∇ × A)θ = − (rAϕ ) , r2 4πϵ0 r2
q  z  r sin θ ∂ϕ ∂r
r= x2 + y2 + z2 ,
θ = cos−1 p 1h ∂ ∂Ar i Charge Distributions:
x2 + y2 + z2 (∇ × A)ϕ = (rAθ ) − .
r ∂r ∂θ
 y dq = λ dl, dq = σ dA, dq = ρ dV,
ϕ = tan−1 . Laplacian: Scalar Field V:
x ˆ
1 ∂  2 ∂V  1 ∂  ∂V  dq
Vector Representation: ∇2 V = r + sin θ E(r) = ke (r −ˆ r′ ).
r2 ∂r ∂r r2 sin θ ∂θ ∂θ |r − r′ |2
A = (Ar , Aθ , Aϕ ) = Ar r̂ + Aθ θ̂ + Aϕ ϕ̂ 1 ∂2 V Special Cases: Infinite Line (λ):
+ .
r2 sin2 θ ∂ϕ2 2 ke λ
E(r) = .
q
∥A∥ = A2r + A2θ + A2ϕ . r
Differential Elements: Infinite Plane (σ):
Coordinate-Conversion Matrices
dl = dr r̂ + r dθ θ̂ + r sin θ dϕ ϕ̂, σ
Cartesian → Cylindrical (ρ, ϕ, z): E= .
2 ϵ0
dS = r2 sin θ dθ dϕ r̂ + r sin θ dr dϕ θ̂ + r dr dθ ϕ̂,  Aρ   cos ϕ sin ϕ 0 Ax 
    
A  − sin ϕ cos ϕ 0 A  Select Formulas: Binomial Expansion (for small
 ϕ  =    y  .
dV = r sin θ dr dθ dϕ.
2 |x|):
Az 0 0 1 Az
    
Gradient of a Scalar Field V(r, θ, ϕ): n(n − 1) 2 n(n − 1)(n − 2) 3
Cartesian → Spherical (r, θ, ϕ): (1+x)n = 1+n x+ x+ x +· · · .
2! 3!
∂V 1 ∂V 1 ∂V  Ar   sin θ cos ϕ sin θ sin ϕ cos θ  Ax 
    
∇V = r̂ + θ̂ + ϕ̂. Two Useful Integrals:
∂r r ∂θ r sin θ ∂ϕ A  cos θ cos ϕ cos θ sin ϕ − sin θ A 
 θ  =    y  .
Aϕ
  
− sin ϕ cos ϕ 0
 
Az ˆ
x dx 1
Divergence of A = Ar r̂ + Aθ θ̂ + Aϕ ϕ̂: = − √ + C,
Cylindrical (r, ϕ, z) → Spherical (r, θ, ϕ): (x2 + a2 )3/2 x2 + a2
1 ∂ 1 ∂ 1 ∂Aϕ ˆ
 Ar   sin θ 0 cos θ   Ar 
    
∇·A = 2 (r2 Ar )+ (sin θ Aθ )+ . dx x
r ∂r r sin θ ∂θ r sin θ ∂ϕ A  cos θ 0 − sin θ A 
 θ  =    ϕ  . = √ + C.
(x + a )
2 2 3/2
a2 x2 + a2
Aϕ 0 1 0 Az
    
Curl of A: Matrix (Determinant) Form: ˆ x
1
Orthogonality note: Because these are all or- dt = arctan(x)
0 1+t
2
r̂ r θ̂ r sin θ ϕ̂ thonormal transformations, the inverse of any
1 ∂ ∂ ∂ ˆ x
∇×A= 2 . such matrix M is its transpose, M−1 = MT . 1
r sin θ ∂r ∂θ ∂ϕ
√ dt = arcsin(x)
Ar rAθ r sin θ Aϕ 0 1 − t2
Electric Field Due to Famous Charge For a point charge: Electric Field Relation with Potential
Configurations ˆ Rb
Q Q 1 1
 
Vba = − dR = − = Vb −Va
Uniformly Charged Ring (on-axis at distance Ra 4πε0 R
2 4πε0 Rb Ra E = −∇V
z) ˆ
1 dq
1 qz V= In spherical coordinates:
E= 4πϵ0 r
4πϵ0 (z + R2 )3/2
2
For discrete charges:
Uniformly Charged Disk (on-axis at dis- X qi ∂V
tance z) V= Er = − ,
4πϵ0 ri ∂r
σ i
!
z
E= 1− √
2ϵ0 z2 + R2 Electric Displacement Vector (D) 1 ∂V
Spherical Shell (outside and inside radius Eθ = − ,
D = ϵ0 E + P r ∂θ
R)
1 q In vacuum:
Eoutside = , r>R 1 ∂V
4πϵ0 r2 D = ϵ0 E Eϕ = −
Einside = 0, r < R In dielectric medium: r sin θ ∂ϕ

D = ϵE
Gauss’s Law and Flux Gauss’s law in terms of D:
˛ ˛ Interface Conditions for Conductors
Qenc
E · dA = D · dA = Qfree
S ϵ0
Tangential Electric Field Continuity:
Flux: ˛
ΦE = E · dA Electric Dipole in Spherical Coordi-
S E1t = E2t
nates
Electric Potential Potential:
Normal Component of D:
1 p · r̂ 1 p cos θ
General formula: V= =
ˆ 4πϵ0 r2 4πϵ0 r2
b
D2n − D1n = σ f
Vba = − E · dl Electric field components:
a
1 2p cos θ
From work and charge: Er = Inside a Conductor:
4πϵ0 r3
ˆ b
W Wb − Wa J N·m 1 p sin θ
   
Vba = =− E·dl = = Vb −Va or Eθ = E=0
Q a Q C C 4πϵ0 r3