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Tutorial 13: Surface Integrals

Prepared by: Hong Vin | Website: https://kix1001.hongvin.xyz

Question 1
Evaluate the surface integral of the vector field F = 3x2 i − 2yxj + 8k over the surface S that is the graph
of z = 2x − y over the rectangle [0, 2] × [0, 2].

Solution
Use the formula for a surface integral over a graph z = g(x, y):
ZZ ZZ   
∂g ∂g
F · dS = F· − i− j + k dxdy
S D ∂x ∂y

For z = 2x − y → −2x + y + z = 0, therefore,

Z 2 Z 2 Z 2 Z 2
(3x2 , −2yx, 8) · (−2, 1, 1)dxdy = (−6x2 − 2yx + 8)dxdy
0 0 0 0
Z 2
2
= −2x3 − yx2 + 8x x=0
dy
0
Z 2
= −4ydy
0
2
= −2y 2 0
= −8

Question 2
Let S be the triangle with vertices (1, 0, 0), (0, 2, 0) and (0, 1, 1) and let F = xyz(i + j). calculate the
surface integral
ZZ
F · dS
S

If the triangle is oriented by the “downward” normal.

Solution
Since S lies in a plane, it is part of the graph of a linear function z = ax + by + c.

Substituting the vertices of the triangle for (x, y, z), we get the equation

0 = a + c, 0 = 2b + c, 1=b+c

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which we can solve to find b = −1, = 2, a = −2, i.e., z = −2x − y + 2. We may take x and y as parameters,

x = u, y = v, z = −2u − v + 2

or Φ(u, v) = (u, v, −2u − v + 2). The domain D of the parametrization is the triangle with vertices at (1, 0),
(0, 2), and (0, 1) in the (u, v) plane. For this parametrization,

Tu × Tv = (1, 0, −2) × (0, 1, −1) = (2, 1, 1)

Since the third component of this vector is positive, the orientation determined by Φ is “upward”, so we will
have to multiply our find answer by −1 to get the surface integral with the downward orientation.

Now, we have (with the minus sign reminding us that the orientation is wrong),
ZZ ZZ
− F · dS = xyz(i + j) · (2i + j + k)dudv
S
Z ZD
= 3xyzdudv
D
ZZ
= 3uv(−2u − v + 2)dudv
D

To compute the double integral, we draw the integtation domain D in the uv-plane, in the left hand part of the
Figure. By reduction to iterated integrals,
ZZ Z 1 Z 2−2u
3uv(−2u − v + 2)dudv = (−6u2 v − 3uv 2 + 6uv)dvdu
D 0 1−u

Carrying out the v-integration, we get

Z 1
2−2u
−3u2 v 2 − uv 3 + 3uv 2
 
1−u
du
0
Z 1
2(1−u)
= uv 2 [−3u − v + 3] 1−u
du
0
Z 1
4u(1 − u)2 (1 − u) − u(1 − u)2 2(1 − u) du
 
=
0
Z 1
=2 u(1 − u)3 du
0
Z 1
=2 (u − 3u2 + 3u3 − u4 )du
0
 
1 3 3 1 1
=2 − + − =
2 3 4 5 10

ZZ
1
∴ F · dS = −
S 10

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Question 3
The equations z = 12, x2 + y 2 ≤ 25 describe a disk of radiusRR
5 lying in the plane z = 12. Suppose that is
the position vector field r(x, y, z) = xi + yj + zk. Compute S r.dS.

Solution
Since the disk is parallel to the xy plane, the outward unit normal is k. Hence n(x, y, z) = k and so r · n = z.
Thus,
ZZ ZZ ZZ ZZ
r · dS = r · ndS = zdS = 12dxdy = 300π
S S S D

Alternatively we may solve this problem by using the formula for surface integrals over graphs:
ZZ ZZ  
∂g ∂g
F · dS = F· − i− j + k dxdy
S D ∂x ∂y

With g(x, y) = 12 and D the disk x2 + y 2 ≤ 25, we get

ZZ ZZ
F · dS = (x · 0 + y · 0 + 12)dxdy = 12(area of D) = 300π
S D

Question 4
Let S be the closed surface that consists of the hemisphere x2 + y 2 + z 2 = 1 ≥ 0, and its base x2 + y 2 ≤
1, z = 0. Let E be the electric field defined by E(x, y, z) = 2xi + 2yj + 2zk. Find the electric flux across
S.

Solution
Write S = H ∪ D where H is the upper hemisphere and D is the disk. Hence
ZZ ZZ ZZ
E · dS = E · dS + E · dS
S H D

(i) Let xi + yj + zk be the unit normal n pointing outward from H. Then

ZZ ZZ
E · dS = E · ndS
H
Z ZH
= (2x, 2y, 2z) · (x, y, z)dS
ZH
Z
=2 (x2 + y 2 + z 2 )dS
H
ZZ
=2 dS = 4π
H

(ii) The unit normal is −k and z = 0 on D. Hence,

ZZ ZZ ZZ
E · dS = E · ndS = (2x, 2y, 2z) · (0, 0, −1)dS = 0
D D D

Therefore,
ZZ
E · dS = 4π
S

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Question 5
Find the area of the ellipse cut on the plane 2x + 3y + 6z = 60 by the circular cylinder x2 + y 2 = 2x.

Solution r  2
∂z 2 ∂z


The surface S lies in the plane 2x + 3y + 6z = 60 so we use this to calculate dS = 1+ ∂x + ∂y dxdy.
Differentiating the equation for the plane with respect to x gives,
∂z ∂z 1
2+6 =0 ⇒ =−
∂x ∂x 3

Differentiating the equation for the plane with respect to y gives,

∂z ∂z 1
3+6 =0 ⇒ =−
∂y ∂y 2

Hence,
s  2  2 r
∂z ∂z 1 1 7
1+ + = 1+ + =
∂x ∂y 9 4 6

Then the area of S is found be calculating the surface integral over S for the function f (x, y, z) = 1. The
projection of the surface, S, onto the xy-plane is given by D = {(x, y) : x2 − 2x + y 2 = (x − 1)2 + y 2 ≤ 1}.
Hence the area of S is given by
ZZ ZZ
7
1dS = 1 · dxdy
S 6
ZDZ
7
= 1dxdy
6 D
7
= × Area of D
6
7
= π
6

Note, since D is a circle or radius 1 centred at (1, 0) the area of D is the area of a unit circle which is π.

Question 6
xdS, where the surface S is the part of the sphere x2 + y 2 + z 2 = a2 lying in the
RR
Find the integral S
first octant.

Solution
It is convenient to solve this integral in spherical coordinates. The area element for spherical surface is dS =
a2 sin θdϕdθ. As x = a cos ϕ sin θ, we can write the integral in the following form
ZZ ZZ
I= xdS = a cos ϕ sin θ · a2 sin θdϕdθ
S D(ϕ,θ)
ZZ
= a3 cos ϕ sin2 θdϕdθ
D(ϕ,θ)

The domain of integration D(ϕ, θ) is defined as

n π πo
D = (ϕ, θ)|0 ≤ ϕ ≤ , 0 ≤ θ ≤
2 2

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Hence, the integral is
ZZ
I=a 3
cos ϕ sin2 θdϕdθ
D(ϕ,θ)
Z π Z π
2 2
= a3 cos ϕdϕ sin2 θdθ
0 0
π
3
h i Z π 2 1 − cos 2θ
= a · (sin ϕ)|0 · 2
dθ
0 2
Z π
1 2
= a3 · 1 · (1 − cos 2θ)dθ
2 0
"  π#
a3 sin 2θ 2
= θ−
2 2 0

a3 π πa3
= · =
2 2 4

Question 7
ZZ
dS
Find the integral √ , where S is the part of the cylindrical surface parameterized by
S x2+ y2 + z2
r(u, v) = (a cos u, a sin u, v), 0 ≤ u ≤ 2π, 0 ≤ v ≤ H.

Solution
Calculate the partial derivatives,
 
∂r ∂x ∂y ∂z
= , , = (−a sin u, a cos u, 0)
∂u ∂u ∂u ∂u
 
∂r ∂x ∂y ∂z
= , , = (0, 0, 1)
∂v ∂v ∂v ∂v

and their cross product,

i j k
∂r ∂r
× = −a sin u a cos u 0 = a cos u · i + a sin u · j + 0 · k
∂u ∂v
0 0 1

Then the area element of the given surface is

∂r ∂r p
dS = × dudv = (a cos u)2 + (a sin u)2 dudv = adudv
∂u ∂v

Now we can calculate the surface integral:

ZZ ZZ
dS adudv
p = p
S
2
x +y +z2 2
D(u,v) (a cos u) + (a sin u)2 + v 2
2
ZZ
adudv
= √
D(u,v) a2 + v 2
Z 2π Z H
dv
= adu √
a 2 + v2
0 0
Z H
dv
= 2πa √
a + v2
2
0  p H 
= 2πa ln v + a + v 2 2 = 2πa
v=0
√
h  p  i H+ a2 + H 2
ln H + a2 + H 2 − ln a = 2πa ln
a

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