Finding a surface form the intersection of two surfaces- Stokes' Thrm.

In summary, Stokes' Theorem is used to evaluate an integral over a surface that is defined by the intersection of two other surfaces.
  • #1
coljnr9
5
0

Homework Statement



Let [itex]\vec{F}=<xy,5z,4y>[/itex]

Use Stokes' Theorem to evaluate [tex]\int_c\vec{F}\cdot d\vec{r}[/tex]

where [itex]C[/itex] is the curve of intersection of the parabolic cylinder [itex]z=y^2-x[/itex] and the circular cylinder [itex]x^2+y^2=36[/itex]

Homework Equations



Stokes' Theorem, which says that [tex]\int_c\vec{F}\cdot d\vec{r}=\int\int_s ∇×\vec{F}\cdot d\vec{S}[/tex]

The Attempt at a Solution



Because we are in the chapter of Stokes' Theroem, I am supposed to integrate over a surface that is defined by the intersection of the two surfaces given in the problem. However, I am having a bear of a time coming up with what that surface would look like, and what an equation for it would be.

I tried plugging the equations into a LiveMath module to see the intersection, but it would break as soon as I zoomed out far enough to see what I needed.

When I have to do this with other problems (intersection of a parabloid and a cylinder), I can look at the graph, or just imagine it, and fairly quickly see the general shape, and then do some algebra to get the coefficients.

If I could have some help coming up with the equation of that surface, I would be able to do some dot-and-cross products and be on my merry way.

Thanks!
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
coljnr9 said:

Homework Statement



Let [itex]\vec{F}=<xy,5z,4y>[/itex]

Use Stokes' Theorem to evaluate [tex]\int_c\vec{F}\cdot d\vec{r}[/tex]

where [itex]C[/itex] is the curve of intersection of the parabolic cylinder [itex]z=y^2-x[/itex] and the circular cylinder [itex]x^2+y^2=36[/itex]

Homework Equations



Stokes' Theorem, which says that [tex]\int_c\vec{F}\cdot d\vec{r}=\int\int_s ∇×\vec{F}\cdot d\vec{S}[/tex]

The Attempt at a Solution



Because we are in the chapter of Stokes' Theroem, I am supposed to integrate over a surface that is defined by the intersection of the two surfaces given in the problem. However, I am having a bear of a time coming up with what that surface would look like, and what an equation for it would be.

It is the bounding curve that is defined by the intersection of the surfaces. But the surface that is bounded by that curve is just your ##z = y^2 - x## parabolic surface. So you have that slanted parabolic surface whose domain in the xy plane is the the disk ##x^2+y^2\le 36##.

You could set up the surface integral in terms of x and y and change the resulting integral to polar coordinates or parameterize the parabolic surface in terms of ##r,\theta## in the first place. Does that get you going?
 
Last edited:
  • #3
Yes, that was perfect. I used the surface [itex]z=g(x,y)=y^2-x[/itex], and got a normal vector from [itex]<-\frac{\partial g} {\partial x}, -\frac{\partial g}{\partial y}, 1> [/itex]. Did my curl and dot product calculations to get
[tex] \int\int_d <1,-2y,1>\cdot<-1,0,-x>dA=\int\int_d -x-1dA[/tex]
I converted to polar using
[tex]x=rcos(\theta)[/tex]
[tex]y=rsin(\theta)[/tex]

and finally had an integral of
[tex]\int_0^{2\pi}\int_0^6 (-1-rcos(\theta))rdrd\theta[/tex]

Thanks so much for your help!
 

Related to Finding a surface form the intersection of two surfaces- Stokes' Thrm.

1. What is Stokes' Theorem?

Stokes' Theorem is a mathematical theorem that relates the surface integral of a vector field to the line integral of the same vector field along the boundary of the surface. It is used to calculate the flux of a vector field through a surface.

2. How is Stokes' Theorem used to find the surface from the intersection of two surfaces?

Stokes' Theorem can be used to find the surface from the intersection of two surfaces by converting the surface integral over the intersection to a line integral along the boundary of the intersection. This can then be solved using the fundamental theorem of calculus.

3. Is the surface found using Stokes' Theorem unique?

No, the surface found using Stokes' Theorem is not unique. There may be multiple surfaces that intersect and have the same boundary, and therefore the same surface integral. It is important to specify any additional constraints or boundaries to find a unique solution.

4. What are the limitations of using Stokes' Theorem to find the surface from the intersection of two surfaces?

Stokes' Theorem is limited to smooth surfaces and vector fields. It also relies on the assumption that the surface is oriented, meaning that it has a defined inside and outside. If the surfaces do not meet these criteria, an alternative method must be used to find the surface.

5. Can Stokes' Theorem be used to find the surface from the intersection of more than two surfaces?

Yes, Stokes' Theorem can be applied to find the surface from the intersection of more than two surfaces. However, this becomes more complex and may require additional calculations and considerations. It is important to carefully define the boundaries and constraints in these cases.

Similar threads

  • Calculus and Beyond Homework Help
Replies
26
Views
2K
  • Calculus and Beyond Homework Help
Replies
4
Views
840
  • Calculus and Beyond Homework Help
Replies
4
Views
1K
  • Calculus and Beyond Homework Help
Replies
2
Views
1K
  • Calculus and Beyond Homework Help
Replies
6
Views
1K
  • Calculus and Beyond Homework Help
Replies
1
Views
623
  • Calculus and Beyond Homework Help
Replies
6
Views
2K
  • Calculus and Beyond Homework Help
Replies
6
Views
2K
Replies
3
Views
1K
  • Calculus and Beyond Homework Help
Replies
6
Views
1K
Back
Top