Tricky Surface Integral Homework | Solved Step by Step"

jegues
Messages
1,085
Reaction score
3

Homework Statement



See figure attached for problem statement.

Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution



See figure attached for my attempt.

I tried to solve it without using divergence theorem, just a straight forward surface integral.

I got up to this point and got stuck. I did try this before using divergence theorem and it didn't seem any easier, which way am I suppose to do this integral?

Thanks again!
 

Attachments

  • 2006Q3.jpg
    2006Q3.jpg
    21.4 KB · Views: 417
Physics news on Phys.org
can't read it, though maybe speherical polar coords could be useful?
 
lanedance said:
can't read it, though maybe speherical polar coords could be useful?

Here's a better size pic of the problem statement, sorry it's so small in the original post.

I'm still stuck on this one.

Is spherical the right route to take? Should I be applying Divergence theorem?

Thanks again!
 

Attachments

  • BetterSize.JPG
    BetterSize.JPG
    11 KB · Views: 375
Try parameterizing the surface rather than computing the integral directly. The divergence theorem will work ONLY if the bottom of the hemisphere is closed. It doesn't look like that is what the problem is stating.
 
lineintegral1 said:
Try parameterizing the surface rather than computing the integral directly. The divergence theorem will work ONLY if the bottom of the hemisphere is closed. It doesn't look like that is what the problem is stating.

Yes but I could always add the surface z=0 to close and remove it after applying divergence theorem.

Anyways, what do you mean by parameterizing the surface?
 
jegues said:
Yes but I could always add the surface z=0 to close and remove it after applying divergence theorem.

Anyways, what do you mean by parameterizing the surface?
Any smooth surface, a two dimensional object, can be written with x, y, and z as functions of two parameters.
Here, your figure is the upper hemisphere of the sphere x^2+ y^2+ z^2= a^2
and the simplest way to parameterize it is to use spherical coordinates with the \rho[/b] coordinate fixed at a:<br /> x= a cos(\theta)sin(\phi)<br /> y= a sin(\theta)sin(\phi)<br /> z= a cos(\phi)<br /> <br /> To use that to integrate on the surface, write the &quot;position vector&quot; of any point on the sphere as <br /> \vec{r}= x\vec{i}+ y\vec{j}+ z\vec{k}= a cos(\theta)sin(\phi)\vec{i}+ a sin(\theta)sin(\phi)\vec{j}+ a cos(\phi)\vec{k}<br /> <br /> Differentiating with respect to the two parameters gives two vectors in the tangent plane at each point:<br /> \vec{r}_\theta= -a sin(\theta)sin(\phi)\vec{i}+ a cos(\theta)sin(\phi)\vec{j}<br /> \vec{r}_\phi= a cos(\theta)cos(\phi)\vec{i}+ a sin(\theta)cos(\phi)\vec{j}- a sin(\phi)\vec{k}<br /> <br /> The cross product of those two vectors, called the &quot;fundamental vector product&quot; for the surface,<br /> a^2cos(\theta)sin^2(\phi)\vec{i}+ a^2sin(\theta)sin^2(\phi)\vec{j}+ a^2sin(\phi)cos(\phi)\vec{k}<br /> if multiplied by d\theta d\phi give d\vec{S}, the &quot;vector differential of surface area&quot; and its length a^2 sin(\phi), times d\theta d\phi is the &quot;differential of surface area&quot; in those parameters.
 
There are two things I don't understand about this problem. First, when finding the nth root of a number, there should in theory be n solutions. However, the formula produces n+1 roots. Here is how. The first root is simply ##\left(r\right)^{\left(\frac{1}{n}\right)}##. Then you multiply this first root by n additional expressions given by the formula, as you go through k=0,1,...n-1. So you end up with n+1 roots, which cannot be correct. Let me illustrate what I mean. For this...
Back
Top