Ellipsoid intersected by cylinder

  • Thread starter Thread starter jonroberts74
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Cylinder Ellipsoid
Click For Summary

Homework Help Overview

The problem involves finding the volume of an ellipsoid defined by the inequality \(x^2 + 2(y^2 + z^2) \le 10\) that is intersected by a cylinder described by \(y^2 + z^2 \le 1\). Participants are exploring the implications of using cylindrical coordinates for this volume calculation.

Discussion Character

  • Mixed

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Some participants suggest changing to cylindrical coordinates as a potential approach, while others discuss the need to carefully set up the integral boundaries to eliminate variables appropriately. There are also considerations regarding the correct interpretation of the cylinder's equation.

Discussion Status

The discussion is ongoing, with participants providing guidance on setting up integrals and questioning assumptions about variable definitions and bounds. Some participants express confusion about the integration limits and the implications of negative values for \(r\). There is no explicit consensus on the final approach yet.

Contextual Notes

Participants note that the problem may involve typographical errors in the cylinder's equation and that the integration process must respect the geometry of the shapes involved. There is also mention of the need to consider the physical meaning of the variables in the context of the problem.

jonroberts74
Messages
189
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement



Find volume of the ellipsoid ##x^2 +2(y^2+z^2) \le 10## intersected by the cylinder ##y^2 + z^2 \le 1 ##

The Attempt at a Solution

seems like changing to cylindrical coordinates would be best

so I have

\left\{ \begin{array}{cc} r^2cos\theta + 2r^2sin^2\theta +2z^2 \le 10 \\r^2sin^2\theta +z^2 \le 1 \end{array}\right.

0 \le \theta \le 2\pi

and solving for z -\sqrt{1-r^2sin^2\theta} \le z \le \sqrt{1-r^2sin^2\theta}

and -\sqrt{8}sec\theta \le r \le \sqrt{8}sec\theta

\int_{0}^{2\pi}\Bigg(\int_{-\sqrt{1-r^2sin^2\theta}}^{\sqrt{1-r^2sin^2\theta}}\Bigg(\int_{-\sqrt{8}sec\theta}^{\sqrt{8}sec\theta}rdr\Bigg)dz\Bigg)d\theta

I tried it on Wolfram|Alpha to check but it didn't seem to work.
 
Last edited:
Physics news on Phys.org
Two things, when you set up the boundaries of your integral you have to make sure you eliminate a variable at each step. Therefore you need to do the z integral before the r integral. Otherwise, you will integrate r and then introduce another r which you will not be able to get rid of.

Second, r is defined from the origin so you integrate from 0 to the maximum value.
 
jonroberts74 said:

Homework Statement



Find volume of the ellipsoid ##x^2 +2(y^2+z^2) \le 10## intersected by the cylinder ##y^2 = z^2 \le 1##
You can use
Code:
 ##...##
brackets to enclose tex statements. Presumably that second equation is a typo and means ##y^2 \color{red} + z^2 \le 1##

The Attempt at a Solution




seems like changing to cylindrical coordinates would be best

so I have

\left\{ \begin{array}{cc} r^2cos\theta + 2r^2sin^2\theta +2z^2 \le 10 \\r^2sin^2\theta +z^2 \le 1 \end{array}\right.

0 \le \theta \le 2\pi

Cylindrical coordinates is a good idea, but not in the usual variables. Your cylinder and ellipsoid are both circular in the yz variables. So you want to use cylindrical like variables where the ##r## and ##\theta## variables are used in the ##yz## plane and you treat the ##x## axis as though it were the ##z## axis and integrate that direction first.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: 1 person
Jufro said:
Two things, when you set up the boundaries of your integral you have to make sure you eliminate a variable at each step. Therefore you need to do the z integral before the r integral. Otherwise, you will integrate r and then introduce another r which you will not be able to get rid of.

Second, r is defined from the origin so you integrate from 0 to the maximum value.

oh yeah, I didn't think of that. thanks
 
LCKurtz said:
You can use
Code:
 ##...##
brackets to enclose tex statements. Presumably that second equation is a typo and means ##y^2 \color{red} + z^2 \le 1##



Cylindrical coordinates is a good idea, but not in the usual variables. Your cylinder and ellipsoid are both circular in the yz variables. So you want to use cylindrical like variables where the ##r## and ##\theta## variables are used in the ##yz## plane and you treat the ##x## axis as though it were the ##z## axis and integrate that direction first.

before I go use up scratch paper. I am going to treat x as z, so should I set ##z = r cos \theta##? so my ##0 \le \theta \le 2\pi## will revolve about the z-axis as opposed to the x axis


EDIT: better yet after looking at it in grapher I am thinking ##y=rcos\theta ; z = rsin\theta##
 
Last edited:
##x^2 +2r^2(cos^2\theta + sin^2\theta)=10##

##r^2(cos^2\theta + sin^2\theta)=1##

##\int_{0}^{2\pi}\Bigg(\int_{-1}^{1}\Bigg(\int_{-\sqrt{10-2r^2}}^{\sqrt{10-2r^2}}dx\Bigg)rdr\Bigg)d\theta##

EDIT: I think the bounds are still amiss though because I got 0 which cannot be a correct answer for the volume
 
Last edited:
jonroberts74 said:
##x^2 +2r^2(cos^2\theta + sin^2\theta)=10##

##r^2(cos^2\theta + sin^2\theta)=1##

##\int_{0}^{2\pi}\Bigg(\int_{-1}^{1}\Bigg(\int_{-\sqrt{10-2r^2}}^{\sqrt{10-2r^2}}dx\Bigg)rdr\Bigg)d\theta##

EDIT: I think the bounds are still amiss though because I got 0 which cannot be a correct answer for the volume

Think about what each of ##\theta, r, x## represent and then have another look at your bounds.
 
the ##\theta## bounds makes sense because there's a full revolution the the ##r## bounds are the cylinder so its on the interval [0,1]

still seems to not work

EDIT: nevermind I got it.
 
Last edited:
jonroberts74 said:
##x^2 +2r^2(cos^2\theta + sin^2\theta)=10##

##r^2(cos^2\theta + sin^2\theta)=1##

##\int_{0}^{2\pi}\Bigg(\int_{-1}^{1}\Bigg(\int_{-\sqrt{10-2r^2}}^{\sqrt{10-2r^2}}dx\Bigg)rdr\Bigg)d\theta##

EDIT: I think the bounds are still amiss though because I got 0 which cannot be a correct answer for the volume

You don't want negative values of ##r##. You get the whole circle for positive ##r## and ##\theta## going all the way around. Much simpler this way, don't you think?
 
  • #10
yeah I wasn't thinking in terms of polar. thanks!##\int_{0}^{2\pi}\Bigg(\int_{0}^{1}\Bigg(\int_{-\sqrt{10-2r^2}}^{\sqrt{10-2r^2}}dx\Bigg)rdr\Bigg)d\theta##
 
  • #11
You could do this by looking up formulas rather than integrating. The volume of the ellipsoid cut by the cylinder is the volume of the cylinder inside the ellipsoid plus the volume of the two caps at each end of the cylinder. The ellipsoid is bounded by x^2+ 2(y^2+ z^2)= 10 and the cylinder by y^2+ z^2= 1. Obviously the cylinder cuts the ellipsoid when x^2+ 2(y^2+ z^2)= x^2+ 2(1)= 10, x^2= 8, x= \pm\sqrt{8}= \pm 2\sqrt{2}.

So the volume we want is a cylinder with radius 1 and height 2\sqrt{2}- (-2\sqrt{2})= 4\sqrt{2} plus the two spherical caps with bases disks of radius 1 and height \sqrt{10}- 1.
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: 1 person

Similar threads

  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
1K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 20 ·
Replies
20
Views
2K
  • · Replies 19 ·
Replies
19
Views
3K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
2K
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
2K
  • · Replies 17 ·
Replies
17
Views
2K