Solve Surface Area Problem: Sphere & Cylinder

In summary, the conversation involves finding the surface area of the part of a sphere inside a cylinder with a given formula. The speaker discusses using parametric and cylindrical equations to solve the problem, but struggles with determining the boundaries of integration. They also question the validity of their assumptions about the cylinder formula.
  • #1
bodensee9
178
0
I am wondering if someone could help me with the following? I am supposed to find the surface area of the part of the sphere x^2 +y^2+z^2 that lies inside the cylinder x^2+y^2 = ax.

If I wanted to write a parametric equation for the sphere, I would use x = ρsinφcosθ and y = ρsinφcosθ and z = ρcosθ. Let r be the vector function given by xi +yj +zk. So, since the surface area = ∫∫|(dr/dφ) x (dr/dθ)|dφdθ. So if I do that with the following, I have |(dr/dφ) x (dr/dθ)| as a^2*sinφ. So, the surface area should be ∫∫a^2*sinφdφdθ.
I am trying to figure out the boundaries of integration. I see that the cylinder has the expression r = acosθ. So θ would be between –π/2 and π/2. But I am not sure what φ should be?

Alternately, I tried with cylindrical coordinates. So, I have that for the sphere I would use x = rcosθ, y = rsinθ, and z = a^2 - r^2. And if I let f be the vector function represented by x,y, and z, then df/dr = <cosθ, sinθ, -2r> and df/dθ = <-rsinθ, rcosθ, 0> And so if I take the cross product of the two vectors I would get 2r^2cosθ -2r^2sinθ +r. So |(df/dr)x(df/dθ)| is 4r^4 + r^2. So would the expression be ∫∫√(4r^4+r^2)drdθ where 0≤r≤rcosθ and –π/2≤θ≤π/2? Thanks!
 
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  • #2
The problem with your assumption about the cylinder formula is that the one in your problem can have its axis somewhere other than a coordinate axis. What if you kept it in rectangular (x,y,z) coordinates?

The condition 0≤r≤rcosθ seems dubious...
 

1. How do you calculate the surface area of a sphere?

To calculate the surface area of a sphere, you can use the formula: 4πr2, where r is the radius of the sphere.

2. How do you calculate the surface area of a cylinder?

To calculate the surface area of a cylinder, you can use the formula: 2πr(r+h), where r is the radius of the base and h is the height of the cylinder.

3. Can you explain the concept of surface area?

Surface area is the measure of the total area that the surface of an object covers. It includes all of the faces, sides, and edges of a three-dimensional object.

4. What are some real-life applications of calculating surface area?

Calculating surface area is useful in various fields, such as architecture, engineering, and construction. It is also used to calculate material quantities for manufacturing and packaging purposes.

5. Are there any tips for solving surface area problems more efficiently?

One tip for solving surface area problems is to break down the object into simpler shapes, such as rectangles, circles, and triangles, and then use the appropriate formulas to calculate their individual surface areas. This can make the problem more manageable and easier to solve.

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