Surface area and surface integrals. (Sect. 16.

6)

I Review: The area of a surface in space.

I Surface integrals of a scalar field.
I The flux of a vector field on a surface.
I Mass and center of mass thin shells.

Review: The area of a surface in space

Theorem
Given a smooth function f : R3 R, the area of a level surface
S = {f (x, y , z) = 0}, over a closed, bounded region R in the plane
{z = 0}, is given by
|f |
ZZ
A(S) = dA.
R |f k|

z S = { f (x,y,z) = 0 } Remark: Eq. (7), page 949, in

the textbook is more general
k
than the equation above, since
f the region R can be located on
any plane, not only the plane
{z = 0} considered here.

y
The vector p in the textbook is
R the vector normal to R. In our
x case p = k.
Surface area and surface integrals. (Sect. 16.6)

I Review: The area of a surface in space.

I Surface integrals of a scalar field.
I The flux of a vector field on a surface.
I Mass and center of mass thin shells.

Surface integrals of a scalar field

Theorem
The integral of a continuous scalar function g : R3 R over a
surface S defined as the level set of f (x, y , z) = 0 over the
bounded plane R is given by

|f |
ZZ ZZ
g d = g dA,
S R |f p|

where p is a unit vector normal to R and f p 6= 0.

Remark: In the particular

ZZ case g = 1, we recover the formula for
the area A(S) = d of the surface S, that is,
S

|f |
ZZ
A(S) = dA.
R |f p|
Surface integrals of a scalar field
Example
Integrate the function g (x, y , z) = x + y + z over the surface given
by the portion of the plane 2x + 2y + z = 2 that lies in the first
octant.
|f |
ZZ ZZ
Solution: Recall: g d = g dA.
S R |f p|
z
Here f = 2x + 2y + z 2, so the
2 2x + 2y + z = 2
surface S is given by f = 0 in the first
S
octant. Hence, the region R is on the
z = 0 plane, (therefore p = k) given by
1 y the triangle with sides x = 0, y = 0 and
R
1 x+y=1 x + y = 1.
x

So, f = h2, 2, 1i, hence |f | = 3, and |f k| = 1. Therefore

ZZ ZZ
g d = g (x, y , z) 3 dA.
S R

Surface integrals of a scalar field

Example
Integrate the function g (x, y , z) = x + y + z over the surface given
by the portion of the plane 2x + 2y + z = 2 that lies in the first
octant.
ZZ ZZ
Solution: Recall: g d = g (x, y , z) 3 dA.
S R

Now, function g must be evaluated on the surface S. That means

g (x, y , z(x, y )) = x + y + z(x, y ) = x + y + (2 2x 2y ).

g (x, y , z(z, y )) = 2 x y .
ZZ ZZ
g d = 3 (2 x y ) dA.
S R
Surface integrals of a scalar field
Example
Integrate the function g (x, y , z) = x + y + z over the surface given
by the portion of the plane 2x + 2y + z = 2 that lies in the first
octant. Z Z ZZ z
2 2x + 2y + z = 2

Solution: g d = 3 (2 x y ) dA. S

S R 1 y
R
1 x+y=1
x

The region R is the triangle in the plane z = 0 given by the lines

x = 0, y = 0, and x + y = 1. Therefore,
Z 1 Z 1y Z 1h  1y   x 2 1y i
3 (2x y ) dx dy = 3 (2y ) x  dy
 
2

0 0 0 0 0
ZZ Z 1h
1 2
i
g d = 3 (2 y )(1 y ) (1 y ) dy
S 0 2
Z 1
y2 
ZZ ZZ
3
g d = 3 2y + dy g d = 2. C
S 0 2 2 S

Surface area and surface integrals. (Sect. 16.6)

I Review: The area of a surface in space.

I Surface integrals of a scalar field.
I The flux of a vector field on a surface.
I Mass and center of mass thin shells.
The flux of a vector field on a surface
Definition
A surface S R3 is called orientable if it is possible to define on S
a continuous, unit vector field n normal to S.

Moebius
strip

n n n

n
orientable surface nonorientable surface

Definition
The flux of a continuous vector field F : R3 R3 over an
orientable surface S in the direction of a unit normal n is given by
ZZ
F= F n d.
S

|f |
Remark: d = dA, where S is the level surface f = 0.
|f p|

The flux of a vector field on a surface

Example
Find the flux of the field F = h0, 0, zi across the portion of the
sphere x 2 + y 2 + z 2 = a2 in the first octant in the direction away
from the origin.
ZZ
Solution: Recall: F = F n d.
S
In this case S is the level surface f = 0, for f = x 2 + y 2 + z 2 a2 .
The unit normal vector n is proportional to f .
p
f = h2x, 2y , 2zi, |f | = 2 x 2 + y 2 + z 2 .

On the surface S we have that x 2 + y 2 + z 2 = a2 ,

therefore,|f | = 2a on this surface. We obtain that on S the
appropriate normal vector is
f 1
n= n = hx, y , zi, z|S = z(x, y ).
|f | a
The flux of a vector field on a surface
Example
Find the flux of the field F = h0, 0, zi across the portion of the
sphere x 2 + y 2 + z 2 = a2 in the first octant in the direction away
from the origin.
ZZ
1
Solution: Recall: F = F n d and n = hx, y , zi on S.
S a
|f |
Since d = dx dy , and f = 2hx, y , zi, which on S says
|f k|
2a a
|f | = 2a, we conclude, d = dx dy , hence d = dx dy .
2z z
ZZ 
1 a
F= h0, 0, zi hx, y , zi dx dy .
R a z

z2 a
ZZ ZZ
F= dx dy F= z dx dy , z|S = z(x, y ).
R a z R

The flux of a vector field on a surface.

Example
Find the flux of the field F = h0, 0, zi across the portion of the
sphere x 2 + y 2 + z 2 = a2 in the first octant in the direction away
from the origin. ZZ
Solution: Recall: F = z dx dy , and z must be evaluated on S.
R
z a S

n The integral is only on the first octant.

ZZ p
F= a2 x 2 y 2 dx dy .
a y
R
a
x
R We use polar coordinates on R {z = 0}.
Z /2 Z a p
F= a2 r 2 r dr d. u = a2 r 2 , du = 2r dr .
0 0

0 a2
a3
Z Z
1/2 (du) 1/2 2 2 3/2
F= u = u du = (a ) F = .
2 a2 2 4 0 43 6
Surface area and surface integrals. (Sect. 16.6)

I Review: The area of a surface in space.

I Surface integrals of a scalar field.
I The flux of a vector field on a surface.
I Mass and center of mass of thin shells.

Mass and center of mass of thin shells

Definition
The mass M of a thin shell described by the surface S in space
with mass per unit area function : S R is given by
ZZ
M= d.
S

The center of mass r = hx 1 , x 2 , x 3 i of the thin shell above is

ZZ
1
xi = xi d, i = 1, 2, 3.
M S

Remark:
I The centroid vector is the particular case of the center of
mass vector for an object with constant density.
I See in the textbook the definitions of moments of inertia Ixi ,
with i = 1, 2, 3, for thin shells.
Mass and center of mass of thin shells
Example
Find the centroid of the surface S given by x 2 + y 2 = z 2 between
the planes z = 1 and z = 2.
Solution: The surface S is a cone section, given in the figure.
z S
We first compute the area, M, of S,
2

|f |
ZZ ZZ
M= d = dA.
R |f k|
1

x
1

R
2
y
Here f = x 2 + y 2 z 2 , therefore,
f = h2x, 2y , 2zi.
p
Hence |f | = 2 x 2 + y 2 + z 2
, evaluated on S. Since
2 2 2
z = x + y , we get |f | = 2 2 z. Also f k = 2z. So,

|f | 2 2z ZZ
= = 2 M= 2 dA.
|f k| 2z R

Mass and center of mass of thin shells

Example
Find the centroid of the surface S given by x 2 + y 2 = z 2 between
the planes z = 1 and z = 2.
|f | ZZ
Solution: Recall: = 2 and M = 2 dA.
|f k| R

z
We use polar coordinates in {z = 0},
S

Z 2 Z 2  r 2 2 
1

M= 2 r dr d = 2 2
2 1

0 1
x
1

R
2
y

We conclude M = 3 2 .
By symmetry, the only non-zero component of the centroid is z.
ZZ
|f |
ZZ
1 2 p
z= z dA = x 2 + y 2 dx dy .
M R |f k| 3 2 R

Z 2 Z 2
1 2 2  r 3 3  2 14
z= r dr d =  = (8 1) z = .
3 0 1 3 3 1 9 9