Calculate Surface Integral F.ndS on Sphere at Origin

F over a sphere of radius a, centered at the origin. He suggests converting everything to polar coordinates and integrating, but realizes it would only work for a hemisphere. He then suggests using the dot product in Euclidean coordinates and converting the resulting scalar into polar coordinates to simplify the integral. In summary, Carl suggests using the dot product in Euclidean coordinates and converting the resulting scalar into polar coordinates to calculate the surface integral of a vector F over a sphere of radius a.
  • #1
mmh37
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I am really struggling with this one:

Calculate [tex] \Int F.ndS [/tex], where

[tex] F = a * x^3 * i + b*y^3*j + c*z^3*k [/tex]

where a,b and c are constants,

over the surface of a sphere of radius a, centred at the origin.

note that F and n are vectors (sorry, tried to type them in bold...but it doesn't work)

___________________________________________________________

So, this is my attempt:

convert everything in polar coordinates and integrate it

where

dS = r^2*sinx*cosz (

for only a hemisphere though...I would multiply it by 2 afterwards to make it a sphere)

the final integral is then:

[tex] dS = \Int {a*dS} = \Int {r^3 (a*sin^3x*sin^3z + b*sin^3x*sin^3z + c*cos^3x) * r^2*sinx*cosz} [/tex]

And this is just a mess. What is wrong here?
 
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  • #2
Try doing the dot product in Euclidean coordinates, but then still write the integral in polar coordiantes. The result of a dot product is a scalar, and the scalar will therefore be simpler to convert into polar coordinates than those nasty vectors.

Carl
 
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FAQ: Calculate Surface Integral F.ndS on Sphere at Origin

What is a surface integral?

A surface integral is a mathematical concept used in calculus to calculate the flux, or flow, of a vector field across a surface. It is represented by the symbol ∫S.

What does it mean to calculate surface integral F.ndS?

In this context, F represents a vector field and n represents the unit normal vector to the surface. The dot product of these two vectors is multiplied by a small piece of the surface, dS, and then integrated over the entire surface to determine the flux.

What is the significance of the sphere being at the origin?

The origin is the center of the sphere, so this indicates that the surface integral is being evaluated over the entire surface of the sphere. This means that the flux through the entire surface is being calculated.

How is the surface integral F.ndS on a sphere at the origin calculated?

To calculate this type of surface integral, you would first need to determine the vector field F and the unit normal vector n to the surface. Then, you would need to find a parametric representation of the sphere and use it to set up the integral. Finally, you would evaluate the integral using appropriate techniques such as integration by parts or substitution.

What are some real-world applications of calculating surface integrals on a sphere at the origin?

Surface integrals on a sphere at the origin can be used to calculate the flux of a vector field through a spherical object, such as a planet or a balloon. They can also be used in physics and engineering to calculate things like electric or magnetic fields on a spherical surface. Additionally, they can be applied in fluid dynamics to determine the flow of a fluid through a spherical surface.

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