Polar Areas and Volumes

Learning Objectives

  • Use double integrals in polar coordinates to calculate areas and volumes.

As in rectangular coordinates, if a solid [latex]S[/latex] is bounded by the surface [latex]{z} = {f}{(r,{\theta})}[/latex], as well as by the surfaces [latex]{r} = {a}, {r} = {b}, {\theta} = {\alpha}[/latex], and [latex]{\theta} = {\beta}[/latex] we can find the volume [latex]V[/latex] of [latex]S[/latex] by double integration, as

[latex]\large{{V} = \underset{R}{\displaystyle\iint}{f}{(r,{\theta})} \ {r} \ {dr} \ {d{\theta}} = \displaystyle\int_{\theta=\alpha}^{\theta=\beta}\displaystyle\int_{r=a}^{r=b}f(r,\theta)r \ dr \ d\theta}[/latex].

If the base of the solid can be described as [latex]{D} = {\left \{{(r,{\theta})}{\mid}{\alpha} \ {\leq} \ {\theta} \ {\leq} \ {{\beta},{h_1}}{(\theta)} \ {\leq} \ {r} \ {\leq} \ {h_2{(\theta)}} \right \}}[/latex], then the double integral for the volume becomes

[latex]\large{{V} = \underset{D}{\displaystyle\iint}{f}{(r,{\theta})} \ {r} \ {dr} \ {d{\theta}} = \displaystyle\int_{\theta=\alpha}^{\theta=\beta}\displaystyle\int_{r=h_1(\theta)}^{r=h_2(\theta)}f(r,\theta)r \ dr \ d\theta}[/latex]

We illustrate this idea with some examples.

Example: finding a volume using a double integral

Find the volume of the solid that lies under the paraboloid [latex]z=1-x^{2}-y^{2}[/latex] and above the unit circle on the [latex]xy[/latex]-plane (see the following figure).

The paraboloid z = 1 minus x squared minus y squared is shown, which in this graph looks like a sheet with the middle gently puffed up and the corners anchored.

Figure 1. The paraboloid [latex]z=1-x^{2}-y^{2}[/latex].

Example: finding a volume using double integration

Find the volume of the solid that lies under the paraboloid [latex]{z} = {4} - {x^2} - {y^2}[/latex] and above the disk [latex]{(x-1)^2} + {y^2} = {1}[/latex] on the [latex]xy[/latex]-plane. See the paraboloid in Figure 2 intersecting the cylinder [latex]{(x-1)^2} + {y^2} = {1}[/latex] above the [latex]xy[/latex]-plane.

A paraboloid with equation z = 4 minus x squared minus y squared is intersected by a cylinder with equation (x minus 1) squared + y squared = 1.

Figure 2. Finding the volume of a solid with a paraboloid cap and a circular base.

Notice in the next example that integration is not always easy with polar coordinates. Complexity of integration depends on the function and also on the region over which we need to perform the integration. If the region has a more natural expression in polar coordinates or if [latex]f[/latex] has a simpler antiderivative in polar coordinates, then the change in polar coordinates is appropriate; otherwise, use rectangular coordinates.

Example: finding a volume using a double integral

Find the volume of the region that lies under the paraboloid [latex]z=x^{2}+y^{2}[/latex] and above the triangle enclosed by the lines [latex]y=x[/latex], [latex]x=0[/latex] and [latex]x+y=2[/latex] in the [latex]xy[/latex]-plane (Figure 3).

To answer the question of how the formulas for the volumes of different standard solids such as a sphere, a cone, or a cylinder are found, we want to demonstrate an example and find the volume of an arbitrary cone.

Example: finding a volume using a double integral

Use polar coordinates to find the volume inside the cone [latex]{z} = {2} - {\sqrt{{x^2}+{y^2}}}[/latex] and above the [latex]xy[/latex]–plane.

try it

Use polar coordinates to find an iterated integral for finding the volume of the solid enclosed by the paraboloids [latex]{z} = {x^2} + {y^2}[/latex] and [latex]{z} = {16} - {x^2} - {y^2}[/latex].

As with rectangular coordinates, we can also use polar coordinates to find areas of certain regions using a double integral. As before, we need to understand the region whose area we want to compute. Sketching a graph and identifying the region can be helpful to realize the limits of integration. Generally, the area formula in double integration will look like

[latex]\large{\text{Area }A = \displaystyle\int_\alpha^\beta\displaystyle\int_{h_1(\theta)}^{h_2(\theta)}{1r} \ {dr} \ {d{\theta}}}[/latex].

Example: finding an area using a double integral in polar coordinates

Evaluate the area bounded by the curve [latex]{r} = {\cos}{4}{\theta}[/latex].

Example: finding area between two polar curves

Find the area enclosed by the circle [latex]{r} = {3}{\cos}{\theta}[/latex] and the cardioid [latex]{r} = {1} + {\cos}{\theta}[/latex].

try it

Find the area enclosed inside the cardioid [latex]{r} = {3} - {{3}{\sin}{\theta}}[/latex] and outside the cardioid [latex]{r} = {1} + {{\sin}{\theta}}[/latex].

Example: evaluating an improper double integral in polar coordinates

Evaluate the integral [latex]\underset{R^2}{\displaystyle\iint}e^{-10(x^2+y^2)}dx \ dy[/latex].

try it

Evaluate the integral [latex]\underset{R^2}{\displaystyle\iint}{e^{{-4}{(x^2+y^2)}}}{dx^{}}{dy}[/latex].

 

Watch the following video to see the worked solution to the above Try It

You can view the transcript for “CP 5.22” here (opens in new window).