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This document provides formulas for calculating differential length, area, and volume in Cartesian, cylindrical, and spherical coordinate systems. It also discusses: 1) How to calculate a differential area dA by multiplying the differentials of the two angles that define an area in spherical coordinates. 2) How to convert a volume integral of a function f(r) into a one-dimensional integral over r by integrating over the angular variables first. 3) The resulting 4π factor is called the "solid angle" and is often abbreviated as dΩ in shorthand notation to make calculations less cumbersome for physicists.

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Zygmund Bauman
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70 views

D PDF

This document provides formulas for calculating differential length, area, and volume in Cartesian, cylindrical, and spherical coordinate systems. It also discusses: 1) How to calculate a differential area dA by multiplying the differentials of the two angles that define an area in spherical coordinates. 2) How to convert a volume integral of a function f(r) into a one-dimensional integral over r by integrating over the angular variables first. 3) The resulting 4π factor is called the "solid angle" and is often abbreviated as dΩ in shorthand notation to make calculations less cumbersome for physicists.

Uploaded by

Zygmund Bauman
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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A Guide to Differential Length, Area, and Volume

x " (#$,$) dx
Cartesian y " (#$,$) dy
z " (#$,$) dz
! ! !
r " [0,#) dr
! ! !
Cylindrical " " [0,2# ] r " d#
! ! !
z " (#$,$) dz
! ! !
r " [0,#) dr
! ! !
Spherical " " [0, # ] r " d#
! " ! ! r " sin # " d$
" [0,2# ]
! ! !
If I want to form a differential area dA I just multiply the two differential lengths that
! ! !
from the area together. For example, if I wanted to from some differential area by
sweeping out two!angles " and " in!spherical coordinates, ! my dA would be given by:

! dA = r 2 sin " # d$ # d"

Last let me consider


! the volume integral of some function
! f that is just a function of the
!
radius ( i.e. f " f (r) ).
!
R % 2%

&&& f (r) " dV = & & & f (r) "!r 2 sin # " dr " d# " d$ =
! r= 0# = 0$ = 0
2% % R
= & d$ & sin# " d# &r 2
f (r) " dr
$= 0 #=0 r= 0
R
= 4% " &r 2
f (r) " dr
r= 0

Hence, I have converted by volume integral into a regular old one-dimensional integral!
2# #
The 4 " that
! came from the $ d" $ sin% & d% is often referred to as the “solid angle”.
"= 0 %=0
Since these two terms are cumbersome to write, that is, just too much to write for lazy
physicists, the following short hand is often used:
! 2# #
! $ d" $ sin% & d% = $ d'
"= 0 %=0
where the limits of integration are understood. This d" , or rather, the integral over it, is
the mystifying solid angle, which, when explained, is (hopefully) not so mystifying!
!
!

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