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Triple Integrals in Cylindrical Coordinates

Many applications involve densities for solids that are best expressed in non-Cartesian coordinate
systems. In particular, there are many applications in which the use of triple integrals is more natural in
either cylindrical or spherical coordinates.

For example, suppose that f (r; ) g (r; ) in polar coordinates and that U
(x; y; z) is a continuous function. If S is the solid between z = f (x; y) and z
= g (x; y) over a region R in the xy-plane, then

ZZZ S U (x; y; z) dV = ZZ R "Z f(x;y)

g(x;y) U (x; y; z) dz# dA
Let's suppose now that in polar coordinates, R is bounded by = r = p (); ; = ;

and r = q (): Since dA = rdrd in polar coordinates, a change of variables into

cylindrical coordinates is given by
q() g(r;)
U (r cos ; r sin(); z) r dzdrd (1)
ZZZ S U (x; y; z) dV = ZZ p() Zf(r;)

In practice, however, it is often more straightforward to simply evaluate the Örst integral in z and then transform the resulting
double integral into polar coordinates.

EXAMPLE 1 Evaluate the following

1 p 1x2 2xy
2
2x +y dzdydx
Z0 Z0 Z0

Solution: Rather than employ (1) directly, letís Örst evaluate the integral in z. That's
it,

1 p 1x2 2xy 1 p 1x2

2 2xy 0
2x +y zx2 + zy2 dydx
Z0 Z0 Z0 dzdydx = Z 0 Z0
1 p 1x2
2 2
2xy x +y dydx
=Z 0 Z0
2 2
2xy x +y dA
=ZZ R

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where R is the quarter of the unit circle in the 1st quadrant.

In polar coordinates, R is bounded by = 0, = =2; r = 0; and r = 1: Thus,

1 p 1x2 2xy =2 1
2x + y2 2r cos () r sin () r 2rdrd
Z0 Z0 Z0 dzdydx = Z 0 Z0
=2 1
sin (2) r 5 drd
=Z 0 Z0
1
6r
=2 sin (2) d
=Z 0
6
0
=2 1
sin (2) d 6
=Z
01
=
6

Check your Reading: Where did the r come from in (1)?

Triple Integrals in Spherical Coordinates

If U (r; ; z) is given in cylindrical coordinates, then the spherical transformation

z = cos (); r = sin()
transforms U (r; ; z) into U ( sin (); ; we have cos ()): Similar to polar coordinates,
@ (z; r)
= dd @ (; )

so that a triple integral in cylindrical coordinates becomes

q() g(r;) q() g( sin();)
U ( sin (); ; cos ()) r dd d
ZZ p()
Zf(r;) U (r; ; z) r dzdrd = ZZ p()
Zf( sin();)
However, r = sin(); which leads to the following:

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Triple Integrals in Spherical Coordinates: If S is a solid

bounded in spherical coordinates by = = p (); , = ;

= q(); = f (; ); and = g (; ); and if U (; ; ) is continuous on S; then

q() g(;)
2
U (; ; ) sin() ddd
ZZZ S U (; ; ) dV = ZZ p()
Zf(;)
(2)

In particular, it is important to notice that

dV = 2
sin() ddd

and it is acceptable to use dV = rddd since r = sin (): It is also

important to remember the relationships given by the two right triangles relating
(x; y; z) to (; ; ):

2 2 +y = 2 2 +z = 2
In particular, x 222
+y =r implies x 2 sin2 () and r implies
that
2x +y2 2+z = 2
(3)

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Also remember that ranges over [0; 2] ; while ranges over [0; ].

EXAMPLE 2 Use spherical coordinates to evaluate the triple integral

1 p 1x2 p 1x2y2
2
+ y 2 2 + z dzdydx
Z 1Z p 1x2 Z pxp 1x2y2

Solution: To begin with, we notice that this iterated integral reduces to

px 2 + y 2 +z 2dV
ZZZ units
sphere

As a result, in spherical coordinates it becomes

2 1
p 2 2 sin () ddd
Z0 Z0 Z0
since x 2 + y 2 +z 2 = 2
: Thus, we have
2 1 2 1
3 3
sin() ddd
Z0 Z0 Z0 sin() ddd = Z 0 Z0 Z0
2 4 1
sin() dd
=Z 0 Z0 4
0
1 2
= sin() dd
4 Z0 Z0
1 2
= cos () j 0 d
4 Z0
=

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EXAMPLE 3 Find the volume of the solid above the cone z 2 =

2 x + y and below the plane z = 1:

2

Solution: The cone z 2

2=x + y 2 corresponds to = =4 in sphere-
ical.

Moreover, z = 1 corresponds to cos () = 1; or = sec (): Thus,

2 =4 sec()
2 sin() ddd
V = ZZZ S
dV = Z 0
Z0 Z0
2 =4 3 sec()

=Z 0
Z0 3
0
sin() dd

1 2 =4
= sec3 () sin() dd
3 Z0 Z0
However, sec() sin() = tan(); so that
1 2 =4
V= tan() sec2 () dd
3 Z0 Z0
Thus, u = tan (); du = sec2 () d, u (0) = tan (0) = 0 and u (=4) =
tan (=4) = 1 yields
1 2 1
V= udud =
3 Z0 Z0
1 2
= 1d
3 Z0 2

=
3

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Check your Reading: Why does the cone z 2 = x 2+y 2 correspond to = =4?

Applications in Spherical and Cylindrical Coordinates

Triple integrals in spherical and cylindrical coordinates occur frequently in

applications. For example, it is not common for charge densities and other real-
world distributions to have spherical symmetry, which means that the density is a
function only of the distance . (Note: Scientists and engineers use both to denote
charge density and also to denote distance in spherical coordinates.
The context in which it appears will indicate how it is being used).

EXAMPLE 4 The charge density for a certain charge cloud contained

in a sphere of radius 10 cm centered at the origin is given by

C
(x; y; z) = 100p x2 + y 2 2 + z cm3
What is the total charge contained within a sphere? ( C = micro-coulombs )

Solution: If denotes the solid sphere of radius 10 cm centered at the

origin, then the total charge is

2 + y 2 2 dV + z
Q = ZZZ 100p x
However, x2 + y 2 2 + z =
2 leads to

2 10
2
sin() ddd
Q = 100 Z0 Z0 Z0

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: 2500 sin (ie, charge density is proportional to ). Evaluation of the

integral leads to
2 4 10
sin() ddd
Q = 100 Z 0 Z0 4
0
2

= 100 Z0 Z0 2500 sin () dd

2
5000d
= 100 Z0
= 1; 000; 000 C
which is Q = coulombs.

Triple integrals in spherical and cylindrical coordinates are common in the study of electricity and
magnetism. In fact, quantities in the fields of electricity and magnetism are often deÖned in
spherical coordinates to begin with.

EXAMPLE 5 The power emitted by a certain antenna has a power

density per unit volume of

P0 p (; ; ) = 2
sin4 () cos2 ()

where P0 is a constant with units in Watts. What is the total power

within a sphere of radius 10 m?

Solution: The total power P will satisfy

sin4 () cos2 () dV
P = ZZZ P0 2

2 10
2
P0 sin4 () cos2 () sin() ddd
=Z 0 Z0 Z0 2

2 10

= P0 Z0 Z0 Z0 sin4 () sin() cos2 () ddd

2
2
1 cos2 () sin() cos2 () dd
= 10P0 Z0 Z0
Let us now let u = cos(); du = cos () d; u(0) = 1; and u () =
1: Then
2 1
2 1 u2 cos2 () dud
P = 10P0 Z 0
Z1
2
16
cos2 d
= 10P0 Z0 15

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However, 2 cos2 () = cos (2) + 1; so that

80 2 32
P= (cos(2) + 1) d = P0 W atts
25 P0 Z 5
0

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Check your Reading: Why does the cone z = x 2+y 2 correspond to = =4?

The Inverse Square Law

Suppose two point masses with masses m and M respectively are located a distance r apart.
Sir Isaac Newtonís inverse square law states that the magnitude jFj of the gravitational force
between the two point masses is

Mm
jFj = G (4)
2r

where G is the universal gravitational constant. However, as Newton realized and struggled
with for some time, objects in the real world are not point-masses and instead, the law (4)
might need to be modified.
In particular, letís suppose that one of the bodies is not a îpoint-mass,îbut instead is a
sphere of radius R with uniform mass density : For r > R constant, letís suppose that the
sphere is centered at (0; 0; r ): If the other body is a point-mass îsatelliteî of mass m located
at the origin, then the gravitational force is directed along the z-axis.

Suppose now that a small îpieceî of the sphere is located at a point (; ; ) (in spherical
coordinates), and suppose that it has a small mass dM: Then the

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distance between the small piece and the origin is :

so that by (4) the îsmallî magnitude d jFj of the gravitational force between the small
îpieceî and the satellite is
GM dM
d jFj = 2
(5)

The amount of d jFj in the vertical direction is then given by cos () d jFj (see above).

Thus, the total gravitational force in the vertical direction is

Gm cos() dM
jFj = ZZZ cos () d jFj = ZZZ 2
S S

where S is the sphere corresponding to the îplanetî. If dV denotes the volume of a

small îpieceî of the sphere, then dM = dV; which leads to
cos() dV
2
(6)
jFj = Gm ZZZ S

In Cartesian coordinates, the sphere S is given by

22+z
+ y 2 + (zr) =R =R
22
2x or x2 + y 2rz + r 22

In spherical coordinates this becomes

2 2 R2 = 0
2r cos () + r
which by the quadratic formula leads to =
2
r cos () p R2 r (1cos2 ())

= r cos () q R2 r 2 sin2 ()

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Thus, the sphere is contained between

1 = r cos q R2 r 2 sin2 () and 2 = r cos + q R2 r 2 sin2 ()

Let us also note that ranges from 0 to sin1 (R=r) while ranges over [0; 2] :

Evaluating (6) in spherical coordinates leads to

2 sin1 (R=r) cos() 2
sin() ddd
jFj = Gm Z 0
Z0 Z2 2
1
2 sin1 (R=r)
cos() sin() ddd
= GM Z 0
Z0 Z2
1
2 sin1 (R=r) (2

= GM Z 0
Z0 1 ) cos () sin () ddd

Since
2 1
= 2 R2 r 2 sin2 () 1=2
; this in turn leads to

2 sin1 (R=r)
R2 r2 sin2 () 1=2 sin () cos () dd
jFj = 2Gm Z 0
Z0
If we let u () = R2 r 2 sin2 (); then the limits of integration become
R
u(0) = R 2 and u sin1 =R2 2r
R2
=0
r 2r

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Moreover, du = 2r 22 sin () cos () d; so that

2
GM sin1 (R=r)
1=2
jFj = R2 r 2 sin2 () 2 2r sin() cos() dd
r2Z 0 Z0
2 0
GM
= u 1=2 du d
r2Z 0 ZR2
2 0
GM u 3=2
= d
r2Z 0 3=2 R2
2
GM 2R3
= d
r2Z 0 3
GM 4R3
=
2r 3

However, the volume of the sphere is V = 4R3=3; so that the mass of the sphere is
M = V = 4R3=3: Thus, we have shown that
GMm
jFj = 2r

That is, a uniformly-dense spherical îplanetî of mass M and a point-mass of mass M at the
center of the sphere have the same gravitational attraction on a îsatelliteîpoint mass outside the
sphere. Since the electromagnetic force also satisÖes an inverse square law, this result also
says that the electromagnetic force between spheres with uniform charge density is equivalent
to the electromagnetic force between point-charges.

Exercises
Convert to cylindrical coordinates and evaluate:
1 p 1x2 p 2 1 p 1x2 p 2
1. R 1 R 1x2 R0 z dzdydx 2. R 0 R 1x2 R0 z dzdydx

1 p 1x2 p 1 2 1 p 1x2 p 1
3. R 1 R 1x2 R0 px + y 2 + z dzdydx 4. R 1 R 1x2 R0 2z px
2
+ y 2 dzdydx

1 p 1x2 p 1 dzdydx 1 1 zdzdydx

5. R 1 R 1x2 R0 x2+y2+1 6. R 1 R0p 1x2 R0 x2+y2+1

1 x jxj+1 dz dydx jxj+1 1 x p x2+y2 dz dydx

7. R 0 R0 R0 8. R 0 R0 R0
p x2+y2

3 p 9x2
x 2+y 2 4 p 16x2 p 16x2y2
R0 (z + 1)2 dzdydx 10. R 0 R0 R0 z dzdydx
9. Z 0 Z 0

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Evaluate the following triple integrals using spherical coordinates.

1 p 1x2 p p 1x2y2 dzdydx 1 p 1x2 p p 1x2y2 zdzdydx

11. R 1 R 1x2 R x2+y2+z 2 p 1x2y2 12. R 1 R 1x2 R x2+y2+z 2 p 1x2y2

1 p 1x2 p p 1x2y2 xdzdydx 1 p 1x2 p p 1x2y2 ydzdydx

13. R 1 R 1x2 R x2+y2+z 2 p 1x2y2 14. R 1 R 1x2 R x2+y2+z 2 p 1x2y2

4 p 16x2 p p 16x2y2 dzdydx 4 p 16x2 p 16x2y2 dzdydx

15. R 4 R 16x2 R0 16. R 0 R0 R
p x2+y2 p 16x2y2 p y2+z 2

3 p 9x2 p 9x2y2 2 4 p 16x2 p 16x2y2

17. R R0 2x +y dzdydx 18. R R0 R0x 2dzdydx
0 0
R p 9x2y2

Identify the solid, and then Önd its volume.

19. = 0 to = 1 = 0 to = 20. = 1 to = 2 = 0 to = =
= 0 to = 2 0 to = 2

21. = 0 to = 1 = 0 to = 22. = 0 to = 1 = 0 to = =
0 to =
4 = 0 to = 2

222=1+y+z22 2 2 24.
23. below x =z inside x + y between z = 0 and z = 1 =1
2 above x +y

The following are volume charge densities of charge clouds contained in a sphere of radius 1 meter. Calculate the
total charge inside the sphere. Consider being a constant. 0

25. (x; y; z) = 2 C=m3 0 26. (x; y; z) = 4 C=m3 (x; y;

27. 2 2 28.
(x; y; z) = + y px +z 2 C=m3 z) = p
0
C=m3
x2+y2+z 2 (x 2+y 2+z
2)p
29. (x; y; z) = 0e
p x2+y2+z 2 C=m3 30. (x; y; z) =
e
0
x2+y2+z 2

31. The solid cone between the xy-plane and the right circular cone (z 1)2 = + y
2
2x has a volume charge density of
2 2
(x; y; z) = 1 x +y 2z

What is the total charge contained inside the solid cone?

32. Suppose that two concentric spheres of radius a and b; respectively, with b > a are
centered at the origin, and suppose that the volume charge density between the two spheres is

2
0 (ba) z 5=2
(; ; ) = (x +z
2 2
+y 3)

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with constant. What is the total charge between the two spheres?
0
33. A certain sphere of radius 1 meter centered at the origin has a mass density of

2 22+z kg
(x; y; z) = px +y
m3
What is the mass of the sphere?
2 2 2 +z
34. Suppose that the solid S is the îspherical capîbetween x +y =2

and z = 1 if the mass density is

z
(x; y; z) =
2 2
(x +y 3=2 + z 2)

2 2 +z 2 = R2 with
35. What is the center of mass of the hemisphere x +
yz 0 if the mass-density of the hemisphere is constant? + y
2 36. What is the center of mass of the solid above x 2 2=z and below
22+z
2x In = 1 if the mass-density is constant? + y 37.
example 6 of section 6, it is shown that the gravitational potential between a mass m
located at the point (0; 0; r) and a sphere of radius R centered at the origin with a constant
mass density is given by
dV
U = Gm ZZZ S 2 2 2
qx +y + (zr)

where S is the sphere. Convert to triple integrals and evaluate for r > R to show that a
sphere with uniform mass density has the same potential as a point mass, namely,

GMM
U=
r
38. What is the gravitational potential of a sphere of radius R with uniform
mass-density if r < R (that is, when the satellite is inside the earth)?
39. Write to Learn: The right circular cone with height h and base
with radius R is the solid below the plane z = h and above the cone R2 zh . In a short essay, show
2 =
2 2 x cone 2
that the + y corresponds to

R
= tan1
h

and then use integration in spherical coordinates to Önd its volume.

40. Write to Learn: In a short essay, explain why if f (x; y; z) is a function
only of the distance of a point (x; y; z) from the originó that is, if

2 22+z
f (x; y; z) = fpx +y

for all (x; y; z)ó and if S is a sphere of radius R centered at the origin, then
R
f() 2d
ZZZ S f (x; y; z) dV = 4 Z 0

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