Find the center of mass of the solid bounded by z=4−x2−y2z = 4 - x² - y² and z=0z = 0 with density ρ(x,y,z) = z.

Answer: The center of mass is (0,0,1)(0, 0, 1).

Step-by-step solution

Step 1: Identify the region and density function

The solid is bounded by the paraboloid z=4−x2−y2z = 4 - x^2 - y^2 and the xyxy -plane (z=0z=0). The density function is given as ρ(x,y,z)=z\rho(x,y,z) = z. This means the density varies with height.

Step 2: Determine the limits of integration

The intersection of z=4−x2−y2z = 4 - x^2 - y^2 and z=0z=0 gives 4−x2−y2=04 - x^2 - y^2 = 0, or x2+y2=4x^2 + y^2 = 4. This is a circle of radius 2 in the xyxy -plane. Converting to cylindrical coordinates, x2+y2=r2x^2+y^2=r^2, so the region in the xyxy -plane is 0≤r≤20 \le r \le 2 and 0≤θ≤2π0 \le \theta \le 2\pi. The zz limits are from 00 to 4−r24 - r^2.

Step 3: Calculate the total mass (M)

The total mass MM is found by integrating the density function over the volume of the solid. We use cylindrical coordinates, so dV=r dz dr dθdV = r \, dz \, dr \, d\theta. We integrate with respect to zz first, then rr, and finally θ\theta. After evaluating the integrals, we find the total mass M=64π3M = \frac{64\pi}{3}.

Step 4: Calculate the moments MxM_x, MyM_y, and MzM_z

Due to the symmetry of the solid and the density function with respect to the zz -axis, the center of mass will lie on the zz -axis. This means Mx=0M_x = 0 and My=0M_y = 0, so xˉ=0\bar{x} = 0 and yˉ=0\bar{y} = 0. We only need to calculate MzM_z.

Step 5: Calculate MzM_z

We integrate z2⋅rz^2 \cdot r with respect to zz, then rr, and finally θ\theta. The result of this integration is Mz=64π3M_z = \frac{64\pi}{3}.

Step 6: Calculate the center of mass (xˉ,yˉ,zˉ)(\bar{x}, \bar{y}, \bar{z})

The coordinates of the center of mass are given by xˉ=MxM\bar{x} = \frac{M_x}{M}, yˉ=MyM\bar{y} = \frac{M_y}{M}, and zˉ=MzM\bar{z} = \frac{M_z}{M}. Since Mx=0M_x = 0 and My=0M_y = 0, we have xˉ=0\bar{x} = 0 and yˉ=0\bar{y} = 0. Substituting the values for MzM_z and MM, we find zˉ=1\bar{z} = 1.

Solve your own maths question free →