Two spheres mass of inertia multivariable calculus problem

Click For Summary
SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on calculating the moment of inertia of a solid region R, bounded by the spheres defined by the equations x² + y² + z² = 1 and x² + y² + z² = 2. The mass density is given by u = sqrt(x² + y² + z²). The moment of inertia around the x-axis is derived using a triple integral in spherical coordinates, resulting in the expression 9π²/4. The correct limits for the spherical coordinates are established as 1 < ρ < √2, 0 < θ < 2π, and 0 < φ < π, confirming the integration setup is valid.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of moment of inertia calculations
  • Proficiency in multivariable calculus
  • Familiarity with spherical coordinates
  • Knowledge of triple integrals
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the derivation of moment of inertia for various geometries
  • Learn about spherical coordinate transformations in integrals
  • Explore applications of triple integrals in physics
  • Investigate the properties of mass density functions in solid mechanics
USEFUL FOR

Students and professionals in physics and engineering, particularly those focusing on mechanics, multivariable calculus, and solid body dynamics.

jamesdocherty
Messages
14
Reaction score
0

Homework Statement


Let R be the solid region that is bounded by two spheres x^2 + y^2 + z^2=1 and x^2 + y^2 + z^2=2. Determine the moment of inertia of R around the x-axis if the mass density per unit volume of R is u=sqrt(x^2 + y^2 + z^2).

Homework Equations



Moment of Inertia around the x-axis: triple integral (y^2+z^2)*u(x,y,z) dxdydz

using (p,@,theta) for spherical coordinates as it will be faster to type, sorry for any confusion.

spherical coordinates:
x=psin(@)cos(theta)
y=psin(@)sin(theta)
z=pcos(@)

The Attempt at a Solution



Using the Moment of Inertia around the x-axis equation, i first got the equation:

triple integral (y^2+z^2)*sqrt(x^2 + y^2 + z^2) dxdydz

now converting to spherical coordinates i got:

triple intergal (p^2*sin^2(@)*sin^2(theta) + p^2*cos^2(@))*sqrt(p^2*sin^2(@)*cos^2(theta) + p^2*sin^2(@)*sin^2(theta) + p^2*cos^2(@)) dpd@dtheta

After some simplification:

triple intergal p^3(sin^2(@)sin^2(theta) + cos^2(@)) dpd@dtheta

where 1<p<sqrt(2) and 0<@<pi and 0<theta<2pi

the 1<p<sqrt(2) is because of the two radius and the other two because its a sphere and its centred at the origin, i know 0<theta<2pi is correct but I'm not sure if 0<@<pi or 0<@<2pi.

solving this integral i got 9*pi^2/4 which I'm not sure is correct as I'm not sure if I'm even able to do it this way, any tips or help would be much appreciated !
 
Physics news on Phys.org
You have forgotten that dx\,dy\,dz = \rho^2 \sin \phi\,d\rho\,d\theta\,d\phi. The region you are integrating over is \{1 \leq \rho \leq \sqrt{2}, 0 \leq \theta \leq 2\pi, 0 \leq \phi \leq \pi\}.
 
Because of spherical symmetry in the problem, the moment of inertia about the x-axis is equal to the moment of inertia about the z-axis. In the latter calculation, the integral is a little simpler.
 

Similar threads

Replies
3
Views
2K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
2K
Replies
9
Views
2K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
3K
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
2K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K