Surface Integrals — Question 8

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Question 8

Find the area of the helicoid patch 𝒓(u,v)=⟨ucos⁡v,usin⁡v,v⟩,0≤u≤1,0≤v≤2π.\mathbf r(u,v)=\langle u\cos v,u\sin v,v\rangle, \qquad 0\le u\le 1,\quad 0\le v\le 2\pi.

Tasks

  1. Compute the tangent vectors and surface element.

  2. Evaluate the resulting nonpolynomial integral.

  3. Check regularity and the scale of the area.

Original worksheet page 1: question and worked solution for 6-3-008
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Question 8 – Solution

Strategy. Compute the cross product in the given parameters; its magnitude depends only on uu, so the vv-integration separates.

Step 1: Surface element 𝒓u=⟨cos⁡v,sin⁡v,0⟩,𝒓v=⟨−usin⁡v,ucos⁡v,1⟩.\mathbf r_u=\langle\cos v,\sin v,0\rangle, \qquad \mathbf r_v=\langle-u\sin v,u\cos v,1\rangle. Thus 𝒓u×𝒓v=⟨sin⁡v,−cos⁡v,u⟩,dS=1+u2dudv.\mathbf r_u\times\mathbf r_v=\langle\sin v,-\cos v,u\rangle, \qquad \boxed{dS=\sqrt{1+u^2}\,du\,dv}.

See the diagram in the original worksheet below.

Step 2: Integrate area⁡(S)=2π∫011+u2du=2π[12(u1+u2+ln(u+1+u2))]01=π(2+ln(1+2)).\begin{align*} \operatorname{area}(S) &=2\pi\int_0^1\sqrt{1+u^2}\,du\\ &=2\pi\left[\frac 12\left(u\sqrt{1+u^2} +\ln\bigl(u+\sqrt{1+u^2}\bigr)\right)\right]_0^1\\ &=\boxed{\pi\left(\sqrt 2+\ln(1+\sqrt 2)\right)}. \end{align*}

Step 3: Check The cross product never vanishes because its first two components have squared sum 11. Also 1≤1+u2≤21\le\sqrt{1+u^2}\le\sqrt 2, so 2π≤area⁡(S)≤2π2,2\pi\le\operatorname{area}(S)\le 2\pi\sqrt 2, and the exact result lies between these bounds.

Original worksheet page 2: question and worked solution for 6-3-008

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