Find the mass inside the sphere \(x^2+y^2+z^2=1\) if the density is \(\rho(x,y,z) = |xyz|\text{.}\)
Solution.
The absolute values can complicate the computations. We can avoid those complications by exploiting the fact that, by symmetry, the total mass of the sphere will be eight times the mass in the first octant. We shall cut the first octant part of the sphere into tiny pieces using Cartesian coordinates. That is, we shall cut it up using planes of constant \(z\text{,}\) planes of constant \(y\text{,}\) and planes of constant \(x\text{,}\) which we recall look like
-
First slice the (the first octant part of the) sphere into horizontal plates by inserting many planes of constant \(z\text{,}\) with the various values of \(z\) differing by \(\dee{z}\text{.}\) The figure on the left below shows the part of one plate in the first octant outlined in red. Each plate
- has thickness \(\dee{z}\text{,}\)
- has \(z\) almost constant throughout the plate (it only varies by \(\dee{z}\)), and
- has \((x,y)\) running over \(x\ge 0\text{,}\) \(y\ge 0\text{,}\) \(x^2+y^2\le 1-z^2\text{.}\)
- The bottom plate starts at \(z=0\) and the top plate ends at \(z=1\text{.}\) See the figure on the right below.
-
Concentrate on any one plate. Subdivide it into long thin “square” beams by inserting many planes of constant \(y\text{,}\) with the various values of \(y\) differing by \(\dee{y}\text{.}\) The figure on the left below shows the part of one beam in the first octant outlined in blue. Each beam
- has cross-sectional area \(\dee{y}\,\dee{z}\text{,}\)
- has \(z\) and \(y\) essentially constant throughout the beam, and
- has \(x\) running over \(0\le x\le \sqrt{1-y^2-z^2}\text{.}\)
- The leftmost beam has, essentially, \(y=0\) and the rightmost beam has, essentially, \(y=\sqrt{1-z^2}\text{.}\) See the figure on the right below.
-
Concentrate on any one beam. Subdivide it into tiny approximate cubes by inserting many planes of constant \(x\text{,}\) with the various values of \(x\) differing by \(\dee{x}\text{.}\) The figure on the left below shows the top of one approximate cube in black. Each cube
- has volume \(\dee{x}\,\dee{y}\,\dee{z}\text{,}\) and
- has \(x\text{,}\) \(y\) and \(z\) all essentially constant throughout the cube.
- The first cube has, essentially, \(x=0\) and the last cube has, essentially, \(x=\sqrt{1-y^2-z^2}\text{.}\) See the figure on the right below.
Now we can build up the mass.
- Concentrate on one approximate cube. Let’s say that it contains the point \((x,y,z)\text{.}\)
- The cube has volume essentially \(\dee{V} = \dee{x}\,\dee{y}\,\dee{z}\) and
- essentially has density \(\rho(x,y,z) = xyz\) and so
- essentially has mass \(xyz\,\dee{x}\,\dee{y}\,\dee{z}\text{.}\)
- To get the mass of any one beam, say the beam whose \(y\) coordinate runs from \(y\) to \(y+\dee{y}\text{,}\) we just add up the masses of the approximate cubes in that beam, by integrating \(x\) from its smallest value on the beam, namely \(0\text{,}\) to its largest value on the beam, namely \(\sqrt{1-y^2-z^2}\text{.}\) The mass of the beam is thus\begin{gather*} \dee{y}\,\dee{z} \int_0^{\sqrt{1-y^2-z^2}} \dee{x}\,xyz \end{gather*}
- To get the mass of any one plate, say the plate whose \(z\) coordinate runs from \(z\) to \(z+\dee{z}\text{,}\) we just add up the masses of the beams in that plate, by integrating \(y\) from its smallest value on the plate, namely \(0\text{,}\) to its largest value on the plate, namely \(\sqrt{1-z^2}\text{.}\) The mass of the plate is thus\begin{gather*} \dee{z}\int_0^{\sqrt{1-z^2}}\dee{y}\int_0^{\sqrt{1-y^2-z^2}} \dee{x}\,xyz \end{gather*}
- To get the mass of the part of the sphere in the first octant, we just add up the masses of the plates that it contains, by integrating \(z\) from its smallest value in the octant, namely \(0\text{,}\) to its largest value on the sphere, namely \(1\text{.}\) The mass in the first octant is thus\begin{align*} &\int_0^1\dee{z}\int_0^{\sqrt{1-z^2}}\dee{y}\int_0^{\sqrt{1-y^2-z^2}} \dee{x}\,xyz\\ &\hskip0.5in= \int_0^1\dee{z}\int_0^{\sqrt{1-z^2}}\dee{y}\ yz \left[\int_0^{\sqrt{1-y^2-z^2}} \dee{x}\,x\right]\\ &\hskip0.5in= \int_0^1\dee{z}\int_0^{\sqrt{1-z^2}}\dee{y}\ \frac{1}{2}yz \big(1-y^2-z^2\big)\\ &\hskip0.5in=\int_0^1\dee{z}\int_0^{\sqrt{1-z^2}}\dee{y}\ \left[\frac{z(1-z^2)}{2}y-\frac{z}{2}y^3\right]\\ &\hskip0.5in=\int_0^1\dee{z}\ \left[\frac{z{(1-z^2)}^2}{4}-\frac{z{(1-z^2)}^2}{8}\right]\\ &\hskip0.5in=\int_0^1\dee{z}\ z\ \frac{{(1-z^2)}^2}{8}\\ &\hskip0.5in=\int_1^0\frac{\dee{u}}{-2}\ \frac{u^2}{8} \qquad\text{with }u=1-z^2,\ \dee{u}=-2z\,\dee{z}\\ &\hskip0.5in=\frac{1}{48} \end{align*}
- So the mass of the total (eight octant) sphere is \(8\times\frac{1}{48}=\frac{1}{6}\text{.}\)