MULTIVARIABLE CALCULUS
SURFACE INTEGRAL
Name: TAHA NADEEM
Roll no: FA-2024/BSCS/049
Section ‘B’
Semester :3rd
Instructor Name: Miss Lubna
Lahore Garrison University
Introduction:
A surface integral is a mathematical tool used to calculate quantities spread over curved
surfaces in three-dimensional space. Instead of integrating along a curve or over a flat region,
surface integrals allow us to incorporate surface curvature, orientation, and the behavior of
fields that lie on or pass through a surface. They are essential in fields such as
electromagnetism, fluid dynamics, thermodynamics, and geometry. Depending on the
problem, surface integrals may apply to scalar fields (like temperature or density) or vector
fields (like fluid flow or electric fields).
They are used to measure things such as:
• total mass spread over a surface
• total flux of a vector field passing through a surface
• total energy or density distributed across a curved structure
Surface integrals can be taken over:
• Scalar fields → which accumulate quantities (like density, temperature) over a surface
• Vector fields → which measure flow or flux passing through a surface
They also play an important role in major theorems like Divergence Theorem and Stokes’
Theorem.
Method:
To compute a surface integral, the following process is generally used:
1. Parameterize the Surface:
Represent the surface S with parameters (u, v) so that r (u, v) describes every point on the
surface.
2. Compute Tangent Vectors:
Find ru and rv, which show how the surface changes with respect to each parameter.
3. Calculate the Surface Element:
The differential piece of surface area is:
dS = || ru × rv ||du dv
4. Write the Integral:
For a scalar field f:
∬S f dS=∬D f (r (u, v)) ||ru×rv||du dv
For a vector field F:
∬S F ⋅ dS=∬D F (r (u, v)) ⋅ (ru×rv) du dv
Examples:
1. Surface Area of a Hemisphere:
Consider the upper hemisphere of radius R. A common
parameterization is: x = R sin cos
y = R sin sin
z = R cos
where 0 /2 and 0 2.
The surface element becomes:
||r_ × r_|| = R² sin
Thus, the surface area of the upper hemisphere is:
∬ S dS=■^ {2} ■^ {/2} R² sin d d = 2R²
Flux Through a Paraboloid:
Consider F = (x, −y, z) and the surface z = 9 − x² − y² for z 0.
• Parameterization:
r (x, y) = (x, y, 9 − x² − y²)
• Tangent vectors:
rX = (1, 0, −2x)
ry = (0, 1, −2y)
• Surface element:
r
dS = rx × y = (2x, 2y, 1)
• Flux integral:
F. (rX× ry) = x(2x) + (−y) (2y) + z (1)
= 2x² − 2y² + (9 − x² − y²)
= 9 + x² − 3y²
Uses:
Surface integrals are widely applied across major scientific and engineering fields:
• Physics — evaluating electric/magnetic flux, gravitational fields, and pressure forces.
• Engineering — measuring fluid flow, stress across surfaces, and energy transfer.
• Mathematics — computing surface area, studying differential geometry, and proving
fundamental theorems. Computing exact surface areas of complex shapes. Applying
important theorems such as Stokes’ and Divergence Theorem. Understanding curvature
and geometric properties in differential geometry.
• Computer Graphics — rendering 3D surfaces, shading models, and simulation.