confusion about the laplacian in polar coordinates












1












$begingroup$


I have a confusion about the following. If we have a function $f:mathbb{R}^2 to mathbb{R}$ of class $C^2$ and we want to calculate the laplacian of this function polar coordinates.



I don't understand what it means. Does it mean we need to calculate :



$$frac{partial}{partial x} (frac{partial f(r cos theta, r sin theta)}{partial x}) + frac{partial}{partial y} (frac{partial f(r cos theta, r sin theta)}{partial y})$$



Or does it mean we need to calculate :



$$frac{partial ^2 f}{partial x^2}(r cos theta, r sin theta) + frac{partial ^2 f}{partial y^2}(r cos theta, r sin theta)$$



Moreover, I am really confused since I don't understand the fondamental difference between these two expressions.



Thank you !










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$endgroup$












  • $begingroup$
    A function $f(rcos(theta),rsin(theta))$ does not have a partial derivative with respect to $x$.
    $endgroup$
    – Good Morning Captain
    Jan 27 at 9:24
















1












$begingroup$


I have a confusion about the following. If we have a function $f:mathbb{R}^2 to mathbb{R}$ of class $C^2$ and we want to calculate the laplacian of this function polar coordinates.



I don't understand what it means. Does it mean we need to calculate :



$$frac{partial}{partial x} (frac{partial f(r cos theta, r sin theta)}{partial x}) + frac{partial}{partial y} (frac{partial f(r cos theta, r sin theta)}{partial y})$$



Or does it mean we need to calculate :



$$frac{partial ^2 f}{partial x^2}(r cos theta, r sin theta) + frac{partial ^2 f}{partial y^2}(r cos theta, r sin theta)$$



Moreover, I am really confused since I don't understand the fondamental difference between these two expressions.



Thank you !










share|cite|improve this question









$endgroup$












  • $begingroup$
    A function $f(rcos(theta),rsin(theta))$ does not have a partial derivative with respect to $x$.
    $endgroup$
    – Good Morning Captain
    Jan 27 at 9:24














1












1








1





$begingroup$


I have a confusion about the following. If we have a function $f:mathbb{R}^2 to mathbb{R}$ of class $C^2$ and we want to calculate the laplacian of this function polar coordinates.



I don't understand what it means. Does it mean we need to calculate :



$$frac{partial}{partial x} (frac{partial f(r cos theta, r sin theta)}{partial x}) + frac{partial}{partial y} (frac{partial f(r cos theta, r sin theta)}{partial y})$$



Or does it mean we need to calculate :



$$frac{partial ^2 f}{partial x^2}(r cos theta, r sin theta) + frac{partial ^2 f}{partial y^2}(r cos theta, r sin theta)$$



Moreover, I am really confused since I don't understand the fondamental difference between these two expressions.



Thank you !










share|cite|improve this question









$endgroup$




I have a confusion about the following. If we have a function $f:mathbb{R}^2 to mathbb{R}$ of class $C^2$ and we want to calculate the laplacian of this function polar coordinates.



I don't understand what it means. Does it mean we need to calculate :



$$frac{partial}{partial x} (frac{partial f(r cos theta, r sin theta)}{partial x}) + frac{partial}{partial y} (frac{partial f(r cos theta, r sin theta)}{partial y})$$



Or does it mean we need to calculate :



$$frac{partial ^2 f}{partial x^2}(r cos theta, r sin theta) + frac{partial ^2 f}{partial y^2}(r cos theta, r sin theta)$$



Moreover, I am really confused since I don't understand the fondamental difference between these two expressions.



Thank you !







real-analysis calculus multivariable-calculus partial-derivative






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asked Jan 27 at 9:19









dghkgfzyukzdghkgfzyukz

16612




16612












  • $begingroup$
    A function $f(rcos(theta),rsin(theta))$ does not have a partial derivative with respect to $x$.
    $endgroup$
    – Good Morning Captain
    Jan 27 at 9:24


















  • $begingroup$
    A function $f(rcos(theta),rsin(theta))$ does not have a partial derivative with respect to $x$.
    $endgroup$
    – Good Morning Captain
    Jan 27 at 9:24
















$begingroup$
A function $f(rcos(theta),rsin(theta))$ does not have a partial derivative with respect to $x$.
$endgroup$
– Good Morning Captain
Jan 27 at 9:24




$begingroup$
A function $f(rcos(theta),rsin(theta))$ does not have a partial derivative with respect to $x$.
$endgroup$
– Good Morning Captain
Jan 27 at 9:24










1 Answer
1






active

oldest

votes


















2












$begingroup$

The basic interpretation is the second one. The Laplacian $Delta f(x,y)$ is a function of $x$ and $y$, which is defined as $frac{partial^2 f}{partial x^2}(x,y) + frac{partial^2 f}{partial y^2}(x,y)$, and expressing a function in polar coordinates just means substituting $x=r cos theta$ and $y = r sin theta$. So first compute the second partials with respect to $x$ and $y$, then substitute.



However, the chain rule gives you another way of obtaining the same result, by performing a different sequence of operations. This involves first expressing $f$ in polar coordinates, and then taking partial derivatives of that expression with respect to $r$ and $theta$. (Not with respect to $x$ and $y$ – that's sort of pointless, because if you wanted to do that, you should have done it directly on $f(x,y)$ instead of changing to polar coordinates to begin with.) How this works is explained in several other answers on this site, for example here or here.






share|cite|improve this answer









$endgroup$













  • $begingroup$
    Thank you ! So it means that we have : $Delta f(x,y) = frac{partial ^2 f}{partial x}(x,y) + frac{partial^2f}{partial y}(x,y)$, and this can be expressed in polar coordinates by substituing so we have : $Delta f(r cos theta, r sin theta) = frac{partial ^2 f}{partial x}(r cos theta,r sin theta) + frac{partial^2f}{partial y}(r cos theta,r sin theta)$ which is the laplacian in polar coordinates. But an other way to expressed this laplacian in polar coordinates is :
    $endgroup$
    – dghkgfzyukz
    Jan 27 at 12:13












  • $begingroup$
    $frac{partial}{partial r} (frac{partial f(r cos theta, r sin theta)}{partial r}) + frac{partial}{partial theta} (frac{partial f(r cos theta, r sin theta)}{partial theta})$ which can be calculated using the chain rule.
    $endgroup$
    – dghkgfzyukz
    Jan 27 at 12:13








  • 1




    $begingroup$
    @dghkgfzyukz: No, that's not the correct expression for the Laplacian in polar coordinates! See the questions that I linked to.
    $endgroup$
    – Hans Lundmark
    Jan 27 at 12:57






  • 1




    $begingroup$
    @dghkgfzyukz: The first comment was OK, but the formula in the second comment was wrong.
    $endgroup$
    – Hans Lundmark
    Jan 27 at 14:18






  • 1




    $begingroup$
    Thanks to the link you provided I think I understand now, just need to do some calculations to see is evrything is effectively clear. Once again thank you for your patience and help.
    $endgroup$
    – dghkgfzyukz
    Jan 27 at 14:32











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1 Answer
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1 Answer
1






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2












$begingroup$

The basic interpretation is the second one. The Laplacian $Delta f(x,y)$ is a function of $x$ and $y$, which is defined as $frac{partial^2 f}{partial x^2}(x,y) + frac{partial^2 f}{partial y^2}(x,y)$, and expressing a function in polar coordinates just means substituting $x=r cos theta$ and $y = r sin theta$. So first compute the second partials with respect to $x$ and $y$, then substitute.



However, the chain rule gives you another way of obtaining the same result, by performing a different sequence of operations. This involves first expressing $f$ in polar coordinates, and then taking partial derivatives of that expression with respect to $r$ and $theta$. (Not with respect to $x$ and $y$ – that's sort of pointless, because if you wanted to do that, you should have done it directly on $f(x,y)$ instead of changing to polar coordinates to begin with.) How this works is explained in several other answers on this site, for example here or here.






share|cite|improve this answer









$endgroup$













  • $begingroup$
    Thank you ! So it means that we have : $Delta f(x,y) = frac{partial ^2 f}{partial x}(x,y) + frac{partial^2f}{partial y}(x,y)$, and this can be expressed in polar coordinates by substituing so we have : $Delta f(r cos theta, r sin theta) = frac{partial ^2 f}{partial x}(r cos theta,r sin theta) + frac{partial^2f}{partial y}(r cos theta,r sin theta)$ which is the laplacian in polar coordinates. But an other way to expressed this laplacian in polar coordinates is :
    $endgroup$
    – dghkgfzyukz
    Jan 27 at 12:13












  • $begingroup$
    $frac{partial}{partial r} (frac{partial f(r cos theta, r sin theta)}{partial r}) + frac{partial}{partial theta} (frac{partial f(r cos theta, r sin theta)}{partial theta})$ which can be calculated using the chain rule.
    $endgroup$
    – dghkgfzyukz
    Jan 27 at 12:13








  • 1




    $begingroup$
    @dghkgfzyukz: No, that's not the correct expression for the Laplacian in polar coordinates! See the questions that I linked to.
    $endgroup$
    – Hans Lundmark
    Jan 27 at 12:57






  • 1




    $begingroup$
    @dghkgfzyukz: The first comment was OK, but the formula in the second comment was wrong.
    $endgroup$
    – Hans Lundmark
    Jan 27 at 14:18






  • 1




    $begingroup$
    Thanks to the link you provided I think I understand now, just need to do some calculations to see is evrything is effectively clear. Once again thank you for your patience and help.
    $endgroup$
    – dghkgfzyukz
    Jan 27 at 14:32
















2












$begingroup$

The basic interpretation is the second one. The Laplacian $Delta f(x,y)$ is a function of $x$ and $y$, which is defined as $frac{partial^2 f}{partial x^2}(x,y) + frac{partial^2 f}{partial y^2}(x,y)$, and expressing a function in polar coordinates just means substituting $x=r cos theta$ and $y = r sin theta$. So first compute the second partials with respect to $x$ and $y$, then substitute.



However, the chain rule gives you another way of obtaining the same result, by performing a different sequence of operations. This involves first expressing $f$ in polar coordinates, and then taking partial derivatives of that expression with respect to $r$ and $theta$. (Not with respect to $x$ and $y$ – that's sort of pointless, because if you wanted to do that, you should have done it directly on $f(x,y)$ instead of changing to polar coordinates to begin with.) How this works is explained in several other answers on this site, for example here or here.






share|cite|improve this answer









$endgroup$













  • $begingroup$
    Thank you ! So it means that we have : $Delta f(x,y) = frac{partial ^2 f}{partial x}(x,y) + frac{partial^2f}{partial y}(x,y)$, and this can be expressed in polar coordinates by substituing so we have : $Delta f(r cos theta, r sin theta) = frac{partial ^2 f}{partial x}(r cos theta,r sin theta) + frac{partial^2f}{partial y}(r cos theta,r sin theta)$ which is the laplacian in polar coordinates. But an other way to expressed this laplacian in polar coordinates is :
    $endgroup$
    – dghkgfzyukz
    Jan 27 at 12:13












  • $begingroup$
    $frac{partial}{partial r} (frac{partial f(r cos theta, r sin theta)}{partial r}) + frac{partial}{partial theta} (frac{partial f(r cos theta, r sin theta)}{partial theta})$ which can be calculated using the chain rule.
    $endgroup$
    – dghkgfzyukz
    Jan 27 at 12:13








  • 1




    $begingroup$
    @dghkgfzyukz: No, that's not the correct expression for the Laplacian in polar coordinates! See the questions that I linked to.
    $endgroup$
    – Hans Lundmark
    Jan 27 at 12:57






  • 1




    $begingroup$
    @dghkgfzyukz: The first comment was OK, but the formula in the second comment was wrong.
    $endgroup$
    – Hans Lundmark
    Jan 27 at 14:18






  • 1




    $begingroup$
    Thanks to the link you provided I think I understand now, just need to do some calculations to see is evrything is effectively clear. Once again thank you for your patience and help.
    $endgroup$
    – dghkgfzyukz
    Jan 27 at 14:32














2












2








2





$begingroup$

The basic interpretation is the second one. The Laplacian $Delta f(x,y)$ is a function of $x$ and $y$, which is defined as $frac{partial^2 f}{partial x^2}(x,y) + frac{partial^2 f}{partial y^2}(x,y)$, and expressing a function in polar coordinates just means substituting $x=r cos theta$ and $y = r sin theta$. So first compute the second partials with respect to $x$ and $y$, then substitute.



However, the chain rule gives you another way of obtaining the same result, by performing a different sequence of operations. This involves first expressing $f$ in polar coordinates, and then taking partial derivatives of that expression with respect to $r$ and $theta$. (Not with respect to $x$ and $y$ – that's sort of pointless, because if you wanted to do that, you should have done it directly on $f(x,y)$ instead of changing to polar coordinates to begin with.) How this works is explained in several other answers on this site, for example here or here.






share|cite|improve this answer









$endgroup$



The basic interpretation is the second one. The Laplacian $Delta f(x,y)$ is a function of $x$ and $y$, which is defined as $frac{partial^2 f}{partial x^2}(x,y) + frac{partial^2 f}{partial y^2}(x,y)$, and expressing a function in polar coordinates just means substituting $x=r cos theta$ and $y = r sin theta$. So first compute the second partials with respect to $x$ and $y$, then substitute.



However, the chain rule gives you another way of obtaining the same result, by performing a different sequence of operations. This involves first expressing $f$ in polar coordinates, and then taking partial derivatives of that expression with respect to $r$ and $theta$. (Not with respect to $x$ and $y$ – that's sort of pointless, because if you wanted to do that, you should have done it directly on $f(x,y)$ instead of changing to polar coordinates to begin with.) How this works is explained in several other answers on this site, for example here or here.







share|cite|improve this answer












share|cite|improve this answer



share|cite|improve this answer










answered Jan 27 at 9:52









Hans LundmarkHans Lundmark

35.9k564115




35.9k564115












  • $begingroup$
    Thank you ! So it means that we have : $Delta f(x,y) = frac{partial ^2 f}{partial x}(x,y) + frac{partial^2f}{partial y}(x,y)$, and this can be expressed in polar coordinates by substituing so we have : $Delta f(r cos theta, r sin theta) = frac{partial ^2 f}{partial x}(r cos theta,r sin theta) + frac{partial^2f}{partial y}(r cos theta,r sin theta)$ which is the laplacian in polar coordinates. But an other way to expressed this laplacian in polar coordinates is :
    $endgroup$
    – dghkgfzyukz
    Jan 27 at 12:13












  • $begingroup$
    $frac{partial}{partial r} (frac{partial f(r cos theta, r sin theta)}{partial r}) + frac{partial}{partial theta} (frac{partial f(r cos theta, r sin theta)}{partial theta})$ which can be calculated using the chain rule.
    $endgroup$
    – dghkgfzyukz
    Jan 27 at 12:13








  • 1




    $begingroup$
    @dghkgfzyukz: No, that's not the correct expression for the Laplacian in polar coordinates! See the questions that I linked to.
    $endgroup$
    – Hans Lundmark
    Jan 27 at 12:57






  • 1




    $begingroup$
    @dghkgfzyukz: The first comment was OK, but the formula in the second comment was wrong.
    $endgroup$
    – Hans Lundmark
    Jan 27 at 14:18






  • 1




    $begingroup$
    Thanks to the link you provided I think I understand now, just need to do some calculations to see is evrything is effectively clear. Once again thank you for your patience and help.
    $endgroup$
    – dghkgfzyukz
    Jan 27 at 14:32


















  • $begingroup$
    Thank you ! So it means that we have : $Delta f(x,y) = frac{partial ^2 f}{partial x}(x,y) + frac{partial^2f}{partial y}(x,y)$, and this can be expressed in polar coordinates by substituing so we have : $Delta f(r cos theta, r sin theta) = frac{partial ^2 f}{partial x}(r cos theta,r sin theta) + frac{partial^2f}{partial y}(r cos theta,r sin theta)$ which is the laplacian in polar coordinates. But an other way to expressed this laplacian in polar coordinates is :
    $endgroup$
    – dghkgfzyukz
    Jan 27 at 12:13












  • $begingroup$
    $frac{partial}{partial r} (frac{partial f(r cos theta, r sin theta)}{partial r}) + frac{partial}{partial theta} (frac{partial f(r cos theta, r sin theta)}{partial theta})$ which can be calculated using the chain rule.
    $endgroup$
    – dghkgfzyukz
    Jan 27 at 12:13








  • 1




    $begingroup$
    @dghkgfzyukz: No, that's not the correct expression for the Laplacian in polar coordinates! See the questions that I linked to.
    $endgroup$
    – Hans Lundmark
    Jan 27 at 12:57






  • 1




    $begingroup$
    @dghkgfzyukz: The first comment was OK, but the formula in the second comment was wrong.
    $endgroup$
    – Hans Lundmark
    Jan 27 at 14:18






  • 1




    $begingroup$
    Thanks to the link you provided I think I understand now, just need to do some calculations to see is evrything is effectively clear. Once again thank you for your patience and help.
    $endgroup$
    – dghkgfzyukz
    Jan 27 at 14:32
















$begingroup$
Thank you ! So it means that we have : $Delta f(x,y) = frac{partial ^2 f}{partial x}(x,y) + frac{partial^2f}{partial y}(x,y)$, and this can be expressed in polar coordinates by substituing so we have : $Delta f(r cos theta, r sin theta) = frac{partial ^2 f}{partial x}(r cos theta,r sin theta) + frac{partial^2f}{partial y}(r cos theta,r sin theta)$ which is the laplacian in polar coordinates. But an other way to expressed this laplacian in polar coordinates is :
$endgroup$
– dghkgfzyukz
Jan 27 at 12:13






$begingroup$
Thank you ! So it means that we have : $Delta f(x,y) = frac{partial ^2 f}{partial x}(x,y) + frac{partial^2f}{partial y}(x,y)$, and this can be expressed in polar coordinates by substituing so we have : $Delta f(r cos theta, r sin theta) = frac{partial ^2 f}{partial x}(r cos theta,r sin theta) + frac{partial^2f}{partial y}(r cos theta,r sin theta)$ which is the laplacian in polar coordinates. But an other way to expressed this laplacian in polar coordinates is :
$endgroup$
– dghkgfzyukz
Jan 27 at 12:13














$begingroup$
$frac{partial}{partial r} (frac{partial f(r cos theta, r sin theta)}{partial r}) + frac{partial}{partial theta} (frac{partial f(r cos theta, r sin theta)}{partial theta})$ which can be calculated using the chain rule.
$endgroup$
– dghkgfzyukz
Jan 27 at 12:13






$begingroup$
$frac{partial}{partial r} (frac{partial f(r cos theta, r sin theta)}{partial r}) + frac{partial}{partial theta} (frac{partial f(r cos theta, r sin theta)}{partial theta})$ which can be calculated using the chain rule.
$endgroup$
– dghkgfzyukz
Jan 27 at 12:13






1




1




$begingroup$
@dghkgfzyukz: No, that's not the correct expression for the Laplacian in polar coordinates! See the questions that I linked to.
$endgroup$
– Hans Lundmark
Jan 27 at 12:57




$begingroup$
@dghkgfzyukz: No, that's not the correct expression for the Laplacian in polar coordinates! See the questions that I linked to.
$endgroup$
– Hans Lundmark
Jan 27 at 12:57




1




1




$begingroup$
@dghkgfzyukz: The first comment was OK, but the formula in the second comment was wrong.
$endgroup$
– Hans Lundmark
Jan 27 at 14:18




$begingroup$
@dghkgfzyukz: The first comment was OK, but the formula in the second comment was wrong.
$endgroup$
– Hans Lundmark
Jan 27 at 14:18




1




1




$begingroup$
Thanks to the link you provided I think I understand now, just need to do some calculations to see is evrything is effectively clear. Once again thank you for your patience and help.
$endgroup$
– dghkgfzyukz
Jan 27 at 14:32




$begingroup$
Thanks to the link you provided I think I understand now, just need to do some calculations to see is evrything is effectively clear. Once again thank you for your patience and help.
$endgroup$
– dghkgfzyukz
Jan 27 at 14:32


















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