15.

7 Triple Integrals in Cylindrical and

Spherical Coordinates
Integration in Cylindrical Coordinates
Definition: Cylindrical Coordinates
Cylindrical coordinates represent a point P in space
by ordered triples (r , , z ) in which
1.
r and are polar coordinates for the vertical
projection of P on the xy-plane.
2.
z is the rectangular vertical coordinate.

Illustration:

Equation Relating Rectangular

( r , , z ) Coordinates.
x r cos ,
2

y r sin ,
2

r x y ,

( x, y , z )

and Cylindrical

zz

tan y / x

How to Integrate in Cylindrical Coordinates:

Example:1
(a) Change the point

3 ,2,1)

into cylindrical coordinates.

(b) Change the following equations to cylindrical coordinates:

z x2 y2,

x2 y2 4

Illustration on finding the volume of a solid in

cylindrical coordinates.

Example:2
(c) Find the volume of the solid bounded by the paraboloid
z x2 y2

, the cylinder

x2 y2 4

, and the xy-plane.

Example:3
Use cylindrical coordinates to evaluate:
1

0 0

1 y 2

4 x 2 y 2

z dz dx dy

Spherical Coordinates and Integration

3

Definition

Spherical Coordinates

Spherical coordinates represent a point P in space by

ordered triple (, , ) in which
1. is the distance from P to the origin.
2. is the angle OP makes with the positive zaxis.
3. is the angle from cylindrical coordinates

Equations Relating Spherical Coordinates to

Cartesian and Cylindrical Coordinates
r sin ,

x r cos sin cos

z cos ,

x y

y r sin sin sin

2

z2

r2 z2

Coordinate Conversion Formula

Cylindrical to Rectangular
x r cos , y r sin , z z

Spherical to Rectangular
x sin cos ,
z cos

y r sin sin sin

Spherical to Cylindrical
r sin ,

z cos ,

Corresponding Formula for dV in Triple Integral

dV dx dy dz rdzdrd 2 sin d d d

How to Integrate in Spherical Coordinates

f (, , ) dV
D

b max

f (, , ) dV
D

g 2 ( , )

f (, , )

sin d d d

a min g1 ( ,)

Illustration on finding the volume of solid in

Spherical Coordinates

Example:4

into point in Cartesian and

cylindrical coordinates.
a) Change

P ( 2,

, )
4 3

b) Use spherical coordinates to find the volume the solid

that lies above the cone z x y and inside the sphere
2

x2 y 2 z 2 4z

Example:5
Evaluate the integral by changing to spherical coordinates:
( x y z ) dz dy dx

(a)
x y z dz dx dy

(b)
4 x 2

4 x

x2 y2

4 y 2

8 x 2 y 2

4 x 2 y 2