Math 212-Lecture 19

14.7 Integration in cylindrical and spherical coordi-

nates
Cylindrical
The Jacobian is
 
 cos θ −r sin θ 0 
∂(x, y, z)  
J= =  sin θ r cos θ 0  = r.
∂(r, θ, z)  0 0 1 

Hence, dV = rdrdθdz.
If we draw a picture, we can see directly that dV is really rdrdθdz.

Spherical
The Jacobian is
 
 sin φ cos θ ρ cos φ cos θ −ρ sin φ sin θ 
∂(x, y, z)   = ρ2 sin φ.

J= = sin φ sin θ ρ cos φ sin θ ρ sin φ cos θ
∂(ρ, φ, θ)  
cos φ −ρ sin φ 0 

Hence, dV = ρ2 sin φdρdφdθ. If we draw a picture, we can see clearly that

this is true.
Example: Set up the integral for the moment of inertia Ix for the unit
ball x2 + y 2 + z 2 ≤ 1 with density δ = 1 in spherical coordinates.
Example: Find the centroid of the first octant portion of the ball
x2 +y 2 +z 2 ≤ a2 using both cylindrical coordinates and spherical coordinates,
assuming the density is uniform.

Solution. In Cylindrical way: the sphere 2 2 2

√ is r + z = a . Hence, we can
have 0 ≤ r ≤ a, 0 ≤ θ ≤ π/2, 0 ≤ z ≤ a2 − r2 . Due to the symmetry, we
must have x̄ = ȳ = z̄. Then,
ZZZ ZZZ
1 1
z̄ = RRR zδdV = RRR zdV
δdV T T dV T
Z a Z π/2 Z √a2 −r2
1
=R R √ zrdzdθdr
a π/2 R a2 −r2
0 0 0 rdzdθdr 0 0 0

1
 In Spherical way: the sphere is ρ = a. Hence, 0 ≤ ρ ≤ a, 0 ≤ φ ≤
π/2, 0 ≤ θ ≤ π/2.
Z a Z π/2 Z π/2
V = 1 ∗ ρ2 sin φdθdφdρ.
0 0 0
ZZZ Z aZ π/2 Z π/2 Z a Z π/2 Z π/2
2
zdV = ρ cos φ∗ρ sin φdθdφdρ = ρ3 sin φ cos φdθdφdρ.
T 0 0 0 0 0 0

Example: Write out the region bounded by z = x2 + y2 and z = y in
cylindrical coordinates.

Solution. We have done this example before. In cylindrical, they are

z = r2 and z = r sin θ. The intersection is r = sin θ. The projection onto xy
plane is a circle.
For θ, we set r = 0, and see 0, π are two adjacent zeros. Hence, 0 ≤
θ ≤ π, 0 ≤ r ≤ sin θ, r2 ≤ z ≤ r sin θ. 
Example: Set up the integral for the area inside the two circles r = 1
and r = 2 sin θ. Set up the integral for the volume of the solid bounded by
r = 1, r = 2 sin θ, z = y and the xy plane.
RR
Solution. For the area, A = R dA. In polar, dA = rdrdθ. We see that
we must divide the integral into three pieces. 1 = 2 sin θ. We find θ = π/6
and θ = 5π/6. Hence,
Z π/6 Z 2 sin θ Z 5π/6 Z 1 Z π Z 2 sin θ
A= rdrdθ + rdrdθ + rdrdθ.
0 0 π/6 0 5π/6 0
RR RR
The volume is V = R (z2 − z1 )dA = R ydA. Hence,
Z π/6 Z 2 sin θ Z 5π/6 Z 1 Z π Z 2 sin θ
V = r sin θrdrdθ+ r sin θrdrdθ+ r sin θrdrdθ.
0 0 π/6 0 5π/6 0


Example: Set up the integral for the volume bounded by x2 +y 2 +z 2 =
4 and x2 + y 2 − 2x = 0.

2
Solution. We use cylindrical coordinates. r2 + z 2 = 4 and r − 2 cos θ =
0. The region is determined by r − 2 cos θ = 0. We set r = 0 and have
√θ = 0. Hence,√−π/2 ≤ θ ≤ π/2. Then, 0 ≤ r ≤ 2 cos θ. For z, we find
cos
− 4 − r2 ≤ z ≤ 4 − r2 . Note dV = rdrdθdz. The volume is therefore:
√
ZZZ Z π/2 Z 2 cos θ Z 4−r2
V = dV = √ rdzdrdθ
T −π/2 0 − 4−r2

RRR 
Example: Set up the integrals for T f (x, y, z)dV where f (x, y, z) =
2 2 2 2 2 2
x + y and T is inside the sphere x + y + (z − a) = a but below z = r
with unit density.
If we draw the picture, we see that the spherical coordinates are the
best.

Solution. z = r is just φ = π/4. The sphere is ρ2 − 2aρ cos φ = 0 or

ρ = 2a cos φ. Hence, we have π/4 ≤ φ ≤ π/2, 0 ≤ ρ ≤ 2a cos φ, 0 ≤ θ < 2π.
x2 + y 2 = ρ2 sin2 φ. Then,
Z π/2 Z 2a cos φ Z 2π
ρ2 sin2 φ ∗ ρ2 sin φdθdρdφ.
π/4 0 0


Example: Consider the ice-cream cone above φ = π/6 but below ρ =
2a cos φ. Suppose the density is δ = 1. Set up the integrals for the total
mass and centroid.

Solution. This problem is convenient in spherical coordinates. 0 ≤ φ ≤

π/6, 0 ≤ θ < 2π, 0 ≤ ρ ≤ 2a cos φ. The volume element is dV = ρ2 sin φdρdθdφ.
The total mass is
ZZZ Z π/6 Z 2π Z 2a cos φ
m= δdV = 1ρ2 sin φdρdθdφ.
T 0 0 0

For the centroid, we use symmetry do conclude that x̄ = ȳ = 0. Then,

ZZZ Z π/6 Z 2π Z 2a cos φ
1 1
z̄ = δzdV = ρ cos φρ2 sin φdρdθdφ
m T m 0 0 0

because z = ρ cos φ.