Calculating Surface Area of a Torus

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on calculating the surface area of a torus generated by rotating a semicircle defined by the equation y=√(r-x²) around the line y=r. It is established that rotating the semicircle around two different axes results in distinct surface areas, specifically the upper half of a torus versus the inner half of a torus. The conclusion drawn is that these two surfaces do not yield equal areas, emphasizing the importance of the axis of rotation in surface area calculations.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of calculus, specifically surface area calculations.
  • Familiarity with the geometric properties of a torus.
  • Knowledge of the equations of circles and semicircles.
  • Basic principles of rotation in three-dimensional geometry.
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the formula for the surface area of a torus generated by rotating a semicircle.
  • Study the differences in surface area calculations based on varying axes of rotation.
  • Explore applications of toroidal geometry in engineering and design.
  • Learn about the implications of axis orientation on three-dimensional shapes in calculus.
USEFUL FOR

Mathematicians, engineering students, and anyone interested in geometric calculations and surface area analysis in three-dimensional space.

stonecoldgen
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So the first question is to find the surface area of a torus generated by rotating the circle (or shall I say semi circle) y=√r-x2 around y=r

if the idea is to find the surface are of the half torus and then multiply by 2, wouldn't it be the same for the circle (or shall I say semi circle, again) rotated around x=r?


Thanks.
 
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No, I don't think so. If you rotate the same semicircle around the two different axes the surfaces look pretty different, don't they? One looks like the upper half of a full torus, the other looks like the inner half of a full torus. Don't think they are equal in area.
 

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