Finding surface area of cone in spherical coordinates

In summary, the conversation is about finding the surface area of a hollow cone using different coordinate systems. The speaker was able to easily find the surface area using cylindrical coordinates, but encountered different results when using spherical coordinates. They were advised to check their use of the semi-angle of the cone and suggested an alternative method using slicing and flattening.
  • #1
ninevolt
21
0
Hello everyone,

I recently tried to find the surface area of a hollow cone (there is no base, like an ice cream cone) using spherical coordinates. With cylindrical coordinates I was able to do this easily using the following integral:

[itex]\int \int \frac{R}{h}z \sqrt{\frac{R^{2}}{h^{2}} + 1} dz d\theta[/itex]
Where:
R = radius of the base
h = height of the cone
(R/h)z = radius of cone at specific z

[itex]\sqrt{\frac{R^{2}}{h^{2}} + 1}[/itex] - the ds element across the slanted side of the cone

and I will obtain the correct answer for the surface area of a cone:
[itex]\pi R \sqrt{h^{2} + R^{2}}[/itex]

but when I try to do the same integral in spherical coordinates I obtain different results
I use the following integral:
[itex]\int \int \rho^{2} sin(\theta) d\rho d\phi [/itex]

What am I doing wrong?
 
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  • #2
hello ninevolt! :smile:

i think you're confusing θ with the (fixed) semi-angle of the cone :wink:

(btw, you might also like to try doing it without integration, by slicing the cone and flattening it!)
 

Related to Finding surface area of cone in spherical coordinates

1. How do you find the surface area of a cone in spherical coordinates?

To find the surface area of a cone in spherical coordinates, you can use the formula: SA = πr2sinθ, where r is the radius of the base of the cone and θ is the angle between the cone's axis and the vertical axis.

2. What are the components of a cone in spherical coordinates?

A cone in spherical coordinates is made up of a radius (r), an angle (θ), and a height (h). The radius is the distance from the origin to any point on the base of the cone, the angle is the angle between the cone's axis and the vertical axis, and the height is the distance from the base of the cone to the apex.

3. Can you use the same formula to find the surface area of any cone in spherical coordinates?

As long as the cone is a right circular cone, you can use the same formula to find the surface area in spherical coordinates. However, if the cone is not a right circular cone, a different formula may be needed.

4. How does the surface area of a cone in spherical coordinates compare to a cone in Cartesian coordinates?

The surface area of a cone in spherical coordinates can be found using a single formula, while a cone in Cartesian coordinates requires multiple formulas to find the surface area of each individual side. Additionally, the surface area of a cone in spherical coordinates is typically easier to calculate and visualize.

5. What is the significance of finding the surface area of a cone in spherical coordinates?

Finding the surface area of a cone in spherical coordinates can be useful in many fields, such as engineering, physics, and astronomy. It can help determine the amount of material needed to construct a cone, the rate of heat transfer in a conical object, and the surface area of celestial bodies such as planets and stars.

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