Finding volume of a nose cone with a given r with integration

In summary,]The volume of a reentry spacecraft nose cone with a cross-section radius of (1/4)x2 taken x feet from the nose and perpendicular to the axis of symmetry is 100,000pi/12.
  • #1
LBK
11
0
I'm still confused on some of these volume problems, so please bear with me :)

Homework Statement


Find the volume of a reentry spacecraft nose cone that has a cross-section radius of (1/4)x2 taken x feet from the nose and perpendicular to the axis of sym. We are given that the length of the cone is 10 ft.

Homework Equations


Well, I'm not sure if a "nose cone" is a standard cone or is this like a frustrum?
I see a formula for 2pi*Int(0, 10) x*(1/4)x2dx but is that all there is to it?

The Attempt at a Solution


Using the equation above I would get 2pi/4[(1/2)x^2*(x^3)/3] over interval 0 to 10
so: 2pi/4[50*1000/3]-0=2pi/4*50,000/3=100,000pi/12=25,000pi/3 This just seems way too huge.
 
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  • #2
LBK said:
I'm still confused on some of these volume problems, so please bear with me :)

Homework Statement


Find the volume of a reentry spacecraft nose cone that has a cross-section radius of (1/4)x2 taken x feet from the nose and perpendicular to the axis of sym. We are given that the length of the cone is 10 ft.

Homework Equations


Well, I'm not sure if a "nose cone" is a standard cone or is this like a frustrum?
I see a formula for 2pi*Int(0, 10) x*(1/4)x2dx but is that all there is to it?

The Attempt at a Solution


Using the equation above I would get 2pi/4[(1/2)x^2*(x^3)/3] over interval 0 to 10
so: 2pi/4[50*1000/3]-0=2pi/4*50,000/3=100,000pi/12=25,000pi/3 This just seems way too huge.

The shape is not a cone with straight sides like this:

Cone_%28geometry%29.png

The radius of the cone, however, is given a a function of the distance x measured from the apex. The radius is 0 at the apex and (1/4)*102, or 25 feet at the base.

I'm not sure if you have set up the integral expression for the volume correctly. After all, the element of volume dV = A(x) dx, where A(x) is the cross-sectional area of the cone at distance x from the apex.

If you are trying to use one of the Theorems of Pappus, it doesn't appear that you have applied it correctly to this problem.
 
  • #3
LBK said:
I'm still confused on some of these volume problems, so please bear with me :)

Homework Statement


Find the volume of a reentry spacecraft nose cone that has a cross-section radius of (1/4)x2 taken x feet from the nose and perpendicular to the axis of sym. We are given that the length of the cone is 10 ft.

Homework Equations


Well, I'm not sure if a "nose cone" is a standard cone or is this like a frustrum?
I see a formula for 2pi*Int(0, 10) x*(1/4)x2dx but is that all there is to it?

The Attempt at a Solution


Using the equation above I would get 2pi/4[(1/2)x^2*(x^3)/3] over interval 0 to 10
so: 2pi/4[50*1000/3]-0=2pi/4*50,000/3=100,000pi/12=25,000pi/3 This just seems way too huge.

It looks like you are trying to use a formula for the volume of a solid of revolution but you are getting mixed up. You have to decide whether to use shells or disks and be consistent with the formulas. If you are going to use ##y## limits of ##0## to ##10##, then you need the formula for disks using a ##dy## integral. If you are going to use a ##dx## integral you would use the shells method$$
V =\int_a^b \pi x^2(y_{upper}-y_{lower})dx$$ You have elements of both in your attempt.

[Edit] Hold on, I may have misinterpreted something...

[Edit, added] Yes, I did, but you are still mixing up the two methods. You want to revolve ##y=\frac 1 4 x^2## about the ##x## axis. Us the disk method.
 
Last edited:
  • #4
OK, I'm still reading up, and while there's not a direct example, if I can use disk method, I get
A(x)=pi(f(x))2 from which I get V=INT A(x)dx
So V=INT[0,10]*pi((1/4)x2)2dx integrating this I would get pi/16*(x3/3)| 0 to10
=pi/16(1000/3)-0=1000pi/48 =125pi/6
Am I warm now? :D Oh, wait I still have a problem with dy vs. dx? The actual text of my question said the radius was measured at x feet from the tip, so I took it to be like a cone with axis of symmetry being horizontal.
 
Last edited:
  • #5
LBK said:
OK, I'm still reading up, and while there's not a direct example, if I can use disk method, I get
A(x)=pi(f(x))2 from which I get V=INT A(x)dx
So V=INT[0,10]*pi((1/4)x2)2dx integrating this I would get pi/16*(x3/3)| 0 to10
=pi/16(1000/3)-0=1000pi/48 =125pi/6
Am I warm now? :D Oh, wait I still have a problem with dy vs. dx? The actual text of my question said the radius was measured at x feet from the tip, so I took it to be like a cone with axis of symmetry being horizontal.

If r(x) = (1/4)x2, then what is [r(x)]2? Check your algebra here before integrating.
 
  • #6
SteamKing said:
If r(x) = (1/4)x2, then what is [r(x)]2? Check your algebra here before integrating.

Oh good grief, thank you!
 

Related to Finding volume of a nose cone with a given r with integration

1. How do you find the volume of a nose cone with a given radius using integration?

The volume of a nose cone can be found using the formula V = (1/3)πr^2h, where r is the radius and h is the height. To use integration, we can break the cone into infinitely thin slices and calculate the volume of each slice using the formula for the volume of a cylinder. Then, we can add up all the volumes using integration to get the total volume of the cone.

2. What is the difference between using integration and other methods to find the volume of a nose cone?

Using integration allows us to calculate the volume of complex shapes, such as a nose cone, that cannot be easily calculated using other methods. It also gives us a more accurate result as it takes into account the infinitesimal changes in volume as we move from one slice to another.

3. Can integration be used to find the volume of a nose cone with a varying radius?

Yes, integration can be used to find the volume of a nose cone with a varying radius. In this case, we would use a variable radius in our formula and integrate over the entire length of the cone to get the total volume.

4. Is there a specific integration technique that should be used for finding the volume of a nose cone?

There is no specific integration technique that needs to be used for finding the volume of a nose cone. However, depending on the shape and complexity of the cone, certain techniques such as the method of cylindrical shells or the disk/washer method may be more efficient.

5. Can integration be used to find the volume of a nose cone with a non-circular cross section?

Yes, integration can be used to find the volume of a nose cone with a non-circular cross section. In this case, we would use the appropriate formula for the volume of the cross section and integrate over the length of the cone to get the total volume.

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