3.

6 Triple Integrals in Spherical

Coordinates
♦ Useful when you have spherical, or ice-cream
cone like surfaces.
♦ Locate points in space with angles and a
distance

Definition 3.6
Spherical coordinates represent a point P in space
by ordered triples ( ρ , φ , θ ) in which

1. ρ is the distance from P to the origin

2. φ is the angle OP makes with the positive z-

axis ( 0 ≤ φ ≤ π )

3. θ is the angle from cylindrical coordinates.

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The spherical coordinate system

P(ρ, φ, θ)

φ
ρ z = ρ cos φ
y
x θ
r

y
x

Since r = ρ sin φ ,
x = r cos θ = ρ sin φ cos θ
y = r sin θ = ρ sin φ sin θ

and z = ρ cos φ , x 2 + y 2 + z 2 = ρ 2

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♦ The function f ( x, y, z ) is transform to
f ( x, y , z ) =
f ( ρ sin φ cos θ , ρ sin φ sin θ , ρ cos φ )

♦ The element of integration,

dV = ρ 2 sin φ dρ dφ dθ

♦ Triple integrals in spherical coordinates are

then evaluated as iterated integrals. The
integral is
∫∫∫ f ( ρ , φ , θ ) dV = ∫∫∫ f ( ρ , φ , θ ) ρ 2
sin φ dρ dφ dθ
G G

Note:
A surface x + y + z = ρ is a sphere with radius ρ
2 2 2 2

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 Example
Use spherical coordinates to evaluate

2 4 − x2 4 − x2 − y2
∫ ∫ ∫ z2 x 2 + y 2 + z 2 dz dy dx
− 2 − 4 − x2 0

Example
Let G be the region bounded below by the cone
z = x + y and above by the plane z = 1.
2 2

Set up the triple integrals in spherical coordinates

that give the volume of G.

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Example
Let G be the region bounded below by the plane
z = 0 , above by the sphere x + y + z = 4
2 2 2

and on the sides by the cylinder x 2 + y 2 = 1. Set

up the triple integrals in spherical coordinates that
give the volume of G.

Example
Find the volume of the “ice cream cone” G cut
π
from the solid sphere ρ ≤ 1 by the cone φ = .
3

Example:
Convert the integral (do not evaluate)
3 9− x 2 9− x 2 − y 2
∫ ∫ ∫ x dz dy dx
0 0 x2 + y 2

to (a) cylindrical coordinates

(b) spherical coordinates
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Example:
Set up an iterated triple integral for the integral of
f ( x, y, z ) = 6 + 4 y over the solid in the first octant
which is bounded by the cone z = x 2 + y 2 , the
cylinder x 2 + y 2 = 1 and the coordinate planes in
the form of
(a) rectangular coordinates
(b) cylindrical coordinates
(c) spherical coordinates
Evaluate the triple integral by choosing the most
appropriate form of coordinates

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