Line integral to determine area of sphere?

In summary, to find the surface area of the part of the sphere of radius 2 centered at the origin that lies above the horizontal plane z = 1, we can use line integral and the formula for surface area element dS. By writing parametric equations for the sphere using spherical coordinates, we can integrate the cross product of two tangent vectors to the sphere and use the limits of \theta and \phi to find the required surface area.
  • #1
cyt91
53
0
Find the area of the surface consisting of the part of the sphere of radius 2 centered at
origin that lies above the horizontal plane z = 1. (Equation of this sphere is given by
x^2 + y^2 + z^2 = 2^2 .)

x^2+y^2+1=4
x^2+y^2=3

This is the base of the solid. But how do we find the required surface area of the sphere?
How do we use line integral to determine this area? It's not an area that is parallel to the z-axis.
 
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  • #2
Doesn't your text have a formula for the surface area element dS for z = f(x,y)?
[tex]dS=\sqrt{1 + f_x^2+f_y^2}\ dxdy[/tex]
or parametric versions for cylindrical and spherical coordinates?
 
  • #3
I don't understand your remark about the base not being parallel to the z- axis. Of course, it isn't- it lies in the plane z= 1 and so is perpendicular to the z-axis.

I would do this by writing parametric equations for the sphere using spherical coordinates. The surface can be written as [itex]x= 2cos(\theta)sin(\phi)[/itex], [itex]y= 2sin(\theta)sin(\phi)[/itex], [itex]z= 2cos(\phi)[/itex]. [itex]z= 2cos(\phi)= 1[/itex] gives [itex]cos(\phi)= 1/2[/itex] so [itex]\phi= \pi/3[/itex].

The vector equation for that sphere would be [itex]\vec{r}(\theta, \phi)= 2cos(\theta)sin(\phi)\vec{i}+ 2sin(\theta)sin(\phi)\vec{j}+ 2cos(\phi)\vec{k}[/itex]. The derivative of that with respect to the two parameters gives two tangent vectors to the sphere. The cross product of those two vectors is then perpendicular to the sphere and its length, with [itex]d\theta d\phi[/itex] is the "differential of surface area". Integrate that with [itex]\theta[/itex] from 0 to [itex]2\pi[/itex] and [itex]\phi[/itex] from 0 to [itex]\pi/3[/itex].
 

1. What is a line integral?

A line integral is a mathematical concept that involves integrating a function along a curve. It is used to calculate quantities such as work, electric flux, and surface area.

2. How is a line integral used to determine the area of a sphere?

A line integral can be used to determine the area of a sphere by integrating a function that represents the surface area of the sphere along a curve on its surface. This is known as a surface integral.

3. What is the formula for calculating the surface area of a sphere?

The formula for calculating the surface area of a sphere is A = 4πr2, where r is the radius of the sphere.

4. Can a line integral be used to calculate the volume of a sphere?

No, a line integral cannot be used to calculate the volume of a sphere. Instead, a triple integral must be used, as the volume of a sphere is a three-dimensional quantity.

5. Are there any applications of line integrals in real-world scenarios?

Yes, line integrals have many applications in various fields such as physics, engineering, and economics. For example, it can be used to calculate the work done by a force along a curved path or the electric flux through a curved surface.

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