Turn spherical coordinates into rectangular coordinates

In summary: Yes, the equation of a circle whose radius depends on z is: ##x^2 + y^2 = f^2(z)##It varies linearly with z so f has the form of a straight line. ##f(z) = az + b##Now its a matter of finding a and b using the information you have.Yes, this is consistent with what you got by rote from wolfram.
  • #1
qq545282501
31
1

Homework Statement


Find the volume of the solid region that lies inside the cone φ= pi/6 and inside the sphere ρ=4. Use rectangular coordinates.

Homework Equations


x=ρ sinφ cos θ
y=ρsinφ sin θ
z=ρ cos φ
ρ^2=x^2+y^2+z^2
x= r cos θ
y= r sin θ
r^2=x^2+y^2

The Attempt at a Solution



at first, I tired to use rectangular coordinates, but I don't even know how to express this cone in rectangular coordinates. so I i divided them into 2 parts and used polar coordinates, where the lower part is just a straightforward volume of a cone, the upper part is the small dome where the sphere and the cone intersects each other.

since ρ=4, z=4cosφ = 4cos (π/6) = 2√3 which is the height when the sphere and the cone intersects at.
16=x^2+y^2+z^2
z=√(16-x^2-y^2)
set them equal to each other : √(16-x^2-y^2)=2√3 , by simplify, i get 4=x^2+y^2
which means radius =2 for the R where the sphere and the cone meet.
the volume of the cone in the lower part: 1/3*π*(2)^2*(2√3)= 14.51 [using volume formula for a cone]
the upper dome volume= ∫∫ [(√(16-r^2)- 2√3 ] r dr dθ where r goes from 0 to 2, and θ goes from 0 to 2π.
I get V=3.449, adding it with the volume of the cone, i get 17.958.

Snapshot.jpg

I am confused on how to do this problem in x.y,z coordinates( without dividing it into 2 parts). more precisely, I don't know how to get the expression of the cone in x,y,z coordinates from the given φ=pi/6 .
 
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  • #2
Hint: the equation of a cone, in rectangular coords, pointing along the z axis, is the equation of a circle whose radius depends linearly on z.
 
  • #3
Simon Bridge said:
Hint: the equation of a cone, in rectangular coords, pointing along the z axis, is the equation of a circle whose radius depends linearly on z.

thank you for the hint

i found the equation of a general cone from wolfram:
NumberedEquation2.gif


where

NumberedEquation3.gif

in my case, the equation of the cone would be z= sqrt ( (x^2)/3 + (y^2)/3 )
since, r=2, h = 2√3 , c^2= 1/3 , correct?
 
  • #4
Do you not understand the equation wolfram gives you?

The equation of a circle whose radius depends on z is: ##x^2 + y^2 = f^2(z)##
It varies linearly with z so f has the form of a straight line. ##f(z) = az + b##
Now its a matter of finding a and b using the information you have.
Is this consistent with what you got by rote from wolfram?
 

1. How do you convert spherical coordinates to rectangular coordinates?

To convert spherical coordinates (r, θ, φ) to rectangular coordinates (x, y, z), you can use the following formulas:
x = r * sin(θ) * cos(φ)
y = r * sin(θ) * sin(φ)
z = r * cos(θ)
where r is the length of the vector, θ is the angle between the vector and the positive z-axis, and φ is the angle between the projection of the vector onto the xy-plane and the positive x-axis.

2. What are the advantages of using spherical coordinates over rectangular coordinates?

Spherical coordinates are particularly useful when working with objects that have a center point, such as planets or stars. They also simplify calculations for objects that have a symmetrical shape, as the equations for volume, surface area, and other properties are simpler in spherical coordinates than in rectangular coordinates.

3. Can you convert rectangular coordinates to spherical coordinates?

Yes, you can convert rectangular coordinates (x, y, z) to spherical coordinates (r, θ, φ) using the following formulas:
r = √(x² + y² + z²)
θ = arccos(z / r)
φ = arctan(y / x)
Note that the arccos and arctan functions return values in radians, so you may need to convert to degrees if necessary.

4. How are spherical coordinates used in real-world applications?

Spherical coordinates are commonly used in physics and engineering to describe the position and motion of objects in 3-dimensional space. They are also used in navigation and astronomy to determine the location of objects in the sky. In addition, spherical coordinates are used in computer graphics to represent 3D objects and in 3D mapping software to plot geographic data.

5. Are there any limitations to using spherical coordinates?

One limitation of using spherical coordinates is that they are not as intuitive to visualize as rectangular coordinates. Additionally, certain calculations may be more difficult to perform in spherical coordinates, such as finding the shortest distance between two points. However, in many cases, the advantages of using spherical coordinates outweigh these limitations.

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