SKEDSOFT

Maths For Engineers - 1

Differential Operators:

In this section, we shall express the gradient, divergence and curl in terms of orthogonal curvilinear coordinates u1, u2, u3. Then, the Laplacian can be expressed as the divergence of a gradient by the chain rule, we have

                                               

In rectangular cartesian coordinates system,

                                                  

Where f is a scaler function. In engineering problems this f is usually a potential link.

 

Velocity Potential or Electrical Potential or Gravitational Potential:

Using chain rules this becomes,

                                       

Then the gradient of f, on orthogonal curvilinear coordinates, is