Lecture 39

1 Surface Area and Surface integrals

1.1 Surface Area
Consider a surface S defined with f (x, y, z) = c. Let R be its projection on xy-plane. Assume
that this projection is one-one, onto. Let Rk be a small rectangle with area ∆Ak and let
∆σk be the piece of surface above this rectangle. Let ∆Pk be the tangent plane at (xk , yk , zk )
of the surface ∆σk . Now consider the parallelogram with ∆Pk and ∆Ak as upper and lower
planes of the parallelogram. We approximate the area of the surface with the area of the
tangent plane ∆Pk .
Now let p̂ be the unit normal to the plane containing Rk and ∇f is the normal to the
surface. Let uk , vk be the vectors along the sides of the tangent plane ∆Pk . Then the area
of ∆Pk is |uk × vk | and uk × vk is the normal vector to ∆Pk . Thus ∇f and uk × vk are both
normals to the tangent plane ∆Pk .
The angle between the plane ∆Ak and ∆Pk is same as the angle between their normals.
i.e., the angle between p̂ and uk × vk . From the geometry, the area of the projection of this
tangent plane is |(uk × vk ) · p̂|(proof of this can be seen in Thomas calculus Appendix 8). i.e.,

∆Ak = |(uk × vk ) · p̂| = |(uk × vk )||p̂|| cos(angle between (uk × vk ) and p̂)

In other words,
∆Ak
∆Pk | cos γk | = ∆Ak or ∆Pk =
| cos γk |
where γk = angle between (uk × vk ) and p̂. This angle can be calculated easily by noting that
∇f and uk × vk are both normals to the tangent plane.
(This formula is simple in case of straight lines: Let OP be the line from origin and let
R be the projection of P on x-axis. Then OR = OP cos γ where γ is the angle between OP
and OR. Now imagine the Area of plane is nothing but ”sum” of lengths of lines.)

So
|∇f · p̂| = |∇f ||p̂|| cos γk |

Therefore,
X X |∇f |
Surface Area ≈ ∆Pk = ∆Ak
|∇f · p̂|
k k
This sum converges to
|∇f |
ZZ
Surface Area = dA
R |∇f · p̂|
where R is the projection of S on to one of the planes and p̂ is the unit normal to the plane
of projection.

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 Figure 1: Paraboloid cut by z=2.

Example 1.1.1 Find the surface area of the curved surface of paraboloid z = x2 + y 2 that is
cut by the plane z = 2.

Solution: The equation of surface is f (x, y, z) = z − x2 − y 2 = 0. Clearly this is one-one

from xy-plane to IR3 . So the projection of the surface {(x, y, x2 + y 2 ) : x2 + y 2 ≤ 2} is the
disc R : x2 + y 2 ≤ 2. Since the plane of projection is xy-plane, p̂ = k̂. Hence

∇f = −2xî − 2y ĵ + k̂

|∇f |
ZZ
S= dA
|∇f · p̂
Z ZR p
= 4x2 + 4y 2 + 1 dA
R

Going to polar coordinates x = r cos θ, y = r sin θ,

√
Z 2π Z 2p
S= 1 + 4r2 r dr dθ = 13π
0 r=0

Example 1.1.2 Find the surface area of the cap obtained by cutting the hemisphere x2 +y 2 +
p
z 2 = 2 by the cone z = x2 + y 2 .

Solution: The equation of surface is f (x, y, z) = x2 + y 2 + z 2 − 2 = 0 and we can take the

projection onto xy-plane. So p̂ = k̂. The projection is obtained by solving x2 + y 2 + z 2 =
p
2, z = x2 + y 2 . i.e., R = x2 + y 2 = 1.

∇f = 2xî + 2y ĵ + 2z k̂
p
|∇f · p̂| = 2z = 2 2 − x2 − y 2

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 Figure 2: Cap obtained by cutting the hemisphere by the cone.

Therefore, using polar coordinates x = r cos θ, y = r sin θ,

ZZ √
2
S= p dA
R 2 − x2 − y 2
Z 2π Z 1 √ √
2
= √ r dr dθ = 2π(2 − 2).
0 0 2 − r2

Surface area of solids of revolution: If a surface is generated by revolving a curve

z = f (y), y ∈ (0, ρ) in the yz-plane about the z-axis. This surface is the graph of function
p p
z = f ( x2 + y 2 ). Then by taking g(x, y, z) = z − f ( x2 + y 2 ) over the circular domain R
which is the projection of the solid. So, we get

|∇g|
ZZ ZZ p
S= dxdy = (1 + f 0 ( x2 + y 2 ))dxdy
R |∇g · k| R

Now using poloar coordinates x = r cos θ, y = r sin θ, we get

Z 2π Z ρp Z ρ p
S= 1+ (f 0 (r))2 rdrdθ = 2π 1 + (f 0 (r))2 rdr
0 0 r=0

1.2 Surface Integrals

Let g(x, y, z) be a function defined over a surface S. Then we can think of integration of
g over S. Suppose, a surface S is heated up, we have a temperature distributed over this
surface. Let T (x, y, z) be the temperature at (x, y, z) of the surface. Then we can calculate
the total temperature on S using the Riemann integration.
Let R be the projection of S on the plane. We partition R into small rectangles Ak .
Let ∆Sk be the surface above the ∆Ak . We approximate this surface area element with its

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tangent plane ∆Pk . As we refine the rectangular partition this ∆PK approximated the ∆Sk .
Then the total temperature may be approximated as
X X ∆Ak X |∇f |
g(xk , yk , zk )∆Pk = g(xk , yk , zk ) = g(xk , yk , zk ) dA
| cos γk | |∇f · p̂|
k k k

where p̂ is the unit normal to R or the plane of projection. Now taking limit n → ∞, we get
|∇f |
ZZ ZZ
g(x, y, z)dS = g(x, y, z) dA
S R |∇f · p̂|
If the surface is defined as f = z − h(x, y) = 0, then
|∇f |
ZZ ZZ
g(x, y, z)dS = g(x, y, h(x, y)) dA.
S R |∇f · k̂|

Example 1.2.1 Integrate g(x, y, z) = z over the surface S cut from the cylinder y 2 + z 2 =
1, z ≥ 0, by the planes x = 0 and x = 1.

Solution: f = y 2 + z 2 and this surface can be projected 1-1, onto to R of xy plane. This
projection is the rectangle with vertices (1, −1), (1, 1), (0, 1), (0, −1). So p̂ = k̂
p
|∇f | 2 y2 + z2 1
= =
|∇f · p̂ |2z| z
Therefore, ZZ ZZ
1
zdS = z dA = Area(R) = 2
S R z
Parametrizations of Surfaces: Let

r(u, v) = f (u, v)î + g(u, v)ĵ + h(u, v)k̂

be a parametrized surface.

Definition 1.2.2 (Smooth surface): A parametrized surface r(u, v) is called smooth surface
if ru and rv are continuous and ru × rv is never zero.

Surface Area: We approximate the surface area element by the parallelogram on the tangent
plane whose sides are determined by the vectors ru ∆u and rv ∆v. The total surface area is
approximately equal to the sum of area of of this parallelograms
XX
S∼ |ru × rv |∆u∆v
u v
RbRb
This sum is a Riemann sum of the integral a a |ru × rv | dudv. Therefore we have
The Surface area of smooth surface: r(u, v) = f (u, v)î + g(u, v)ĵ + h(u, v)k̂, a ≤ u ≤
b, c ≤ v ≤ d is
Z bZ d
S= |ru × rv | dudv
a c

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Problem 1.2.1 Find the surface are of the surface of the cone
p
z= x2 + y 2 , 0 ≤ z ≤ 1

Solution: We found a parametrization of the cone as

r(r, θ) = r cos θ î + r sin θ ĵ + r k̂, 0 ≤ r ≤ 1, 0 ≤ θ ≤ 2π.

We can find that p √

|rr × rθ | r2 cos2 θ + r2 sin2 θ + r2 = 2r

Therefore, Z 2π Z 1√ √
Surface Area = 2rdrdθ = π 2
0 0
Surface integrals: Let F (u, v) be a continuous function defined on the parametrized surface
S: r(u, v) : R → S, where R : a ≤ u ≤ b, c ≤ v ≤ d. Then
ZZ Z bZ d
F dS = F (u, v)|ru × rv |dudv
S a c
RR
Problem 1.2.2 Evaluate the surface integral S (x + y + z)dS over the surface of cylinder
x2 + y 2 = 9, 0 ≤ z ≤ 4.

Solution: Using the cylindrical coordinates: x = 3 cos θ, y = 3 sin θ, z = z over the parameter
domain {(θ, z) : 0 ≤ θ ≤ 2π, 0 ≤ z ≤ 4}. The surface can be represented as

T (θ, z) = 3 cos θî + 3 sin θĵ + z k̂.

p
Then |Tθ × Tz | = 9 cos2 θ + 9 sin2 θ = 3. The given integral is equal to
ZZ ZZ
(x + y + z)dS = (3 cos θ + 3 sin θ + z)|Tθ × Tz |dθdz
S S
Z 4 Z 2π Z 4
(3 cos θ + 3 sin θ + z)dθdz = 6π zdz = 48π.
z=0 θ=0 0