My Math Forum Spherical Vector to Cartesian Vector

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 August 19th, 2010, 05:47 PM #1 Newbie   Joined: Jul 2010 Posts: 4 Thanks: 0 Spherical Vector to Cartesian Vector Hello everyone, I have what should be a straightforward question. How would I convert a 3D spherical vector into a 3D Cartesian coordinate direction vector. This may sound confusing at first. ( Or maybe it is just me) But basically, I have a spherical vector defined by and I would like to convert that vector into a Cartesian vector . Thanks, Taylor S. Amarel
 August 19th, 2010, 08:16 PM #2 Member   Joined: Jun 2010 Posts: 36 Thanks: 0 Re: Spherical Vector to Cartesian Vector If r is magnitude of the vector, then x = r*cos{?} y = r*cos{?} z = r*cos{?}
 August 20th, 2010, 03:45 AM #3 Newbie   Joined: Jul 2010 Posts: 4 Thanks: 0 Re: Spherical Vector to Cartesian Vector I'm not sure that will work, forgive me for questioning your answer. But I with the formula you gave, it appears as if your assuming Rho is an angle. Which in my case it is not. I have the a radius or distance from the origin (rho), an angle, (theta), and another angle (psi). (rho,theta,psi). I'm trying to get a three dimensional direction vector and it * appears* that your thinking Rho is an angle. (It looks that way because of the trigonometry function associated with Rho in your formula). I could be wrong, I a beginner trying to learn. Could you please provide some explanation or confirmation? Thanks, Taylor S. Amarel Learning is Living
 August 20th, 2010, 07:33 AM #4 Member   Joined: Jun 2010 Posts: 36 Thanks: 0 Re: Spherical Vector to Cartesian Vector OK. Then I assume that the vector moves through an angle ? with respect to a reference line in the vertical plane. Afterwords it moves horizontally through an angle ? to reach the final position.In that case x = ?cos?cos? y = ?cos?sin? z = ?sin?.

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