Length of a curve on $S^2$

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$1.$ Could any one tell me what is the shortest distance between $2$ points on $S^2$?

$2.$ Could any one tell me how to measure explicitly a length of a curve on the $S^2$ using polar co-ordinates?

Thank you very much for the help and discussion ahead.

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The way to calculate the shortest distance between two points is to join the points by curves which are called "minimal geodesics". To find a minimal geodesic, you find a great circle which contains both the points. This is done by forming a circular segment between the centre of the sphere and the two points. Then the standard formula applies: $$l = r \theta = \theta$$

To compute $\theta$, we use the dot product rule $$ \cos \theta = \frac{a \cdot b}{\|a\| \|b\|} = a \cdot b$$ knowing that both $\|a\| = \|b\| = 1$. Therefore

$$l = \arccos(a \cdot b)$$

To answer the second part of your question, suppose the curve you are given is defined by a curve $r : [0,1] \rightarrow \mathbb{R}^3$. The standard formula for arclength of a curve will give you the curves length:

$$ l = \int_0^1 ||r'(t)|| dt $$

Suppose now $s(t) = (1, s_{\theta}(t), s_{\phi}(t))$ is instead presented in spherical coordinates. We then wish to know the corresponding arc length when converted into cartesian coordinates. Simply define $$r(t) := (\sin (s_{\theta}(t)) \cos(s_{\phi}(t)), \sin (s_{\theta}(t)) \sin( s_{\phi}(t)), cos(s_{\theta}(t))) $$ and use the above formula.