Finding Volume of Solid Cut by Cylindrical Coordinates: Is My Solution Correct?

In summary: Yes! :biggrin:The circle has centre (a/2,0) …for example, the point (0,1) obviously doesn't lie on it. :wink:
  • #1
squeeky
9
0

Homework Statement


Use Cylindrical Coordinates.
Find the volume of the solid that the cylinder [tex]r=acos\theta[/tex] cuts out of the sphere of radius a centered at the origin.


Homework Equations


Sphere = x2+y2+z2=a3


The Attempt at a Solution


I think that the limits are from -pi/2 to positive pi/2 for theta, 0 to acos(theta) for r, and negative (a3-r2)1/2 to positive (a3-r2)1/2. This gives me the equation:
[tex]\int^{\pi/2}_{-\pi/2}\int^{acos\theta}_0\int^{\sqrt{a^3-r^2}}_{-\sqrt{a^3-r^2}} dzrdrd\theta[/tex]
Solving this, I get a volume of [tex]\frac{4\pi}{3}a^{9/2}+\frac{8}{9}a^3[/tex]
But is this right?
 
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  • #2
Welcome to PF!

squeeky said:
Sphere = x2+y2+z2=a3

Hi squeeky! Welcome to PF! :smile:

erm … you need oiling! :biggrin:

i know it's three-dimensional, but still …

it should be x2+y2+z2=a2 :redface:
 
  • #3
squeeky said:

Homework Statement


Use Cylindrical Coordinates.
Find the volume of the solid that the cylinder [tex]r=acos\theta[/tex] cuts out of the sphere of radius a centered at the origin.


Homework Equations


Sphere = x2+y2+z2=a3


The Attempt at a Solution


I think that the limits are from -pi/2 to positive pi/2 for theta, 0 to acos(theta) for r, and negative (a3-r2)1/2 to positive (a3-r2)1/2. This gives me the equation:
[tex]\int^{\pi/2}_{-\pi/2}\int^{acos\theta}_0\int^{\sqrt{a^3-r^2}}_{-\sqrt{a^3-r^2}} dzrdrd\theta[/tex]
Solving this, I get a volume of [tex]\frac{4\pi}{3}a^{9/2}+\frac{8}{9}a^3[/tex]
But is this right?
No, it's not. The the graph of the equation [itex]r= acos(\theta)[/itex], in polar coordinates is a circle with center at (0, a/2) and radius a/2. Since it lies only in the upper half plane, [itex]\theta[/itex] ranges from 0 to [itex]\pi[/itex], not [itex]-\pi/2[/itex] to [itex]\pi/2[/itex].
 
  • #4
HallsofIvy said:
No, it's not. The the graph of the equation [itex]r= acos(\theta)[/itex], in polar coordinates is a circle with center at (0, a/2) and radius a/2.

Hi HallsofIvy! :smile:

No, that would be r = a sintheta. :wink:
 
  • #5
Oops! Well, I'll just go back and edit it so it looks like I never made that mistake!
 
  • #6


tiny-tim said:
Hi squeeky! Welcome to PF! :smile:

erm … you need oiling! :biggrin:

i know it's three-dimensional, but still …

it should be x2+y2+z2=a2 :redface:

Ah! That's right, I don't know how I got that cube, I must have been seeing things when I looked up the formula.

And so now I get a an equation of [tex]\int^{\pi}_0\int^{acos\theta}_0\int^{\sqrt{a^2-r^2}}_{-\sqrt{a^2-r^2}}dzrdrd\theta[/tex]
which (unless I did my math wrong) gives me a somewhat nice value of [tex]V=(\frac{2a^3}{3})(\frac{4}{3}-\pi)[/tex]
Is this right now?
 
  • #7
squeeky said:
And so now I get a an equation of [tex]\int^{\pi}_0\int^{acos\theta}_0\int^{\sqrt{a^2-r^2}}_{-\sqrt{a^2-r^2}}dzrdrd\theta[/tex]
which (unless I did my math wrong) gives me a somewhat nice value of [tex]V=(\frac{2a^3}{3})(\frac{4}{3}-\pi)[/tex]
Is this right now?

yes, that looks right …

except doesn't theta go from -π/2 to π/2, as in your original post? :smile:
 
  • #8
tiny-tim said:
yes, that looks right …

except doesn't theta go from -π/2 to π/2, as in your original post? :smile:

That's what I thought at first, but HallsofIvy pointed out that it's actually from 0 to pi. Was I right at first then? Because it does make more sense to me if it is from -pi/2 to pi/2, since I see the limits as lying in the xz-plane.
 
  • #9
squeeky said:
Was I right at first then? Because it does make more sense to me if it is from -pi/2 to pi/2, since I see the limits as lying in the xz-plane.

Yes! :biggrin:

The circle has centre (a/2,0) …

for example, the point (0,1) obviously doesn't lie on it. :wink:
 

1. What are cylindrical coordinates?

Cylindrical coordinates are a type of coordinate system used in mathematics and physics to represent points in three-dimensional space. They consist of a radial distance, an azimuthal angle, and a height or depth.

2. How do cylindrical coordinates differ from Cartesian coordinates?

Cylindrical coordinates use a different set of variables to represent points in space compared to Cartesian coordinates. Instead of using x, y, and z coordinates, cylindrical coordinates use r, θ, and z coordinates. Additionally, the equations for converting between the two coordinate systems are different.

3. What is the significance of the azimuthal angle in cylindrical coordinates?

The azimuthal angle, represented by θ, is the angle measured from a reference axis, usually the x-axis, in the xy-plane. It determines the direction of the point from the reference axis and is important in defining the location of the point in the cylindrical coordinate system.

4. How are cylindrical coordinates used in physics?

Cylindrical coordinates are commonly used in physics to describe the motion of objects in three-dimensional space. They are particularly useful in problems involving cylindrical symmetry, such as the motion of planets and satellites around a central body.

5. Are there any limitations to using cylindrical coordinates?

While cylindrical coordinates are useful in many applications, they have limitations when it comes to representing points in space. They are not suitable for describing points with negative radial distances or points that do not have cylindrical symmetry. Additionally, they may be more complex to use in certain calculations compared to Cartesian coordinates.

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