SPHERE
SPHERE
A sphere is a locus of a point which remains at a constant distance from a fixed
point.
The fixed point is called the centre of the sphere and the constant distance is called
the radius of the sphere.
Equation of the sphere :
Center radius form :
Let (a, b, c) be the centre and r be the radius. Then equation of the sphere is given by
(x - a)2 + (y - b)2 + (z - c)2 = r2
Equation of the sphere with centre at the origin is given by
x 2 + y 2 + z 2 = r2
General form :
The equation of the form x2 + y2 + z2 + 2ux + 2vy + 2wz + d = 0 represent a sphere .
The equation can be rewritten as
(x2 + 2ux) + (y2 + 2vy) + (z2 + 2wz) + d = 0
i.e., (x+u) 2 + (y+v) 2 + (z+w) 2 = d + u2 + v2 + w2
Hence it represents a sphere with centre (-u, -v, -w) and radius
d u2 v 2 w 2
Then a general equation of sphere is such that
I. It is of second degree in x, y and z.
II. Coefficient of x2, y2 and z2 are equal and
III. There are no terms containing xy, yz or zx
Relative position of a plane and a sphere :
If the perpendicular distance from the centre of the sphere to the plane is
greater than the radius of the sphere then the plane does not intersect the plane.
If the perpendicular distance from the centre of the sphere to the plane is equal
to the radius of the plane then the plane is tangential to the sphere.
If the perpendicular distance from the centre to the plane is less than the radius
then plane intersect the sphere along the circle.
Section of a sphere by a plane :
If when a plane intersects the sphere the intersection is along a circle. If the plane
passes through the centre of the sphere then circle of intersection has the
greatest radius, which is equal to the radius of the sphere such a circle is
called a great circle.
The equations x2 + y2 + z2 + 2ux + 2vy + 2wz + d = 0
and ax + by + cz + d = 0 taken together represents a circle.
R
p
L
r
Let L be the centre of circle of intersection and r be its radius
If R is radius of the sphere p is perpendicular distance from the centre of the sphere
to the plane, then R2 = r2 + p2 r2 = R2 - p2
r R 2 p2
Sphere through the circle of intersection of a sphere and a circle :
Consider a sphere S = 0 and a plane P = 0, then equation of a sphere
through the circle of intersection of the sphere and the circle is given by S + Kp = 0
corresponding to every value of k we get one such sphere one additional condition
is to be given to fix the value of k.
Examples :
1. Find equation of the sphere through the points (0, 0, 0), (0, 1, -1), (-1, 2, 0)
and (1, 2, 3) Let the required sphere they given by
x2 + y2 + z2 + 2ux + 2vy + 2wz + d = 0
As (0, 0 , 0) is a point on it d = 0 as (0, 1, -1), (-1, 2, 0) and (1, 2, 3) are points on the
sphere we get,
1 + 1 + 2v – 2w + d = 0 or v – w + 1= 0
1 + 4 -2u + 4v + 4v + d = 0 or -2u + 4v + 5 = 0
1 + 4 + 9 + 2u + 4v + 6w + d =0 or u + 2v + 3w + 7 = 0
Simplifying the above we get ,
u = -15/14; v = -25/14 ; w = - 11/14
substituting these values
we get,
x2 + y2 + z2 – (15/7)x – (25/7)y – (11/7) z = 0
Center of the sphere is (15/14, 25/14, 11/14)
And the radius is
1
2 2 2
15 25 11 2
0
14 14 14
2. Find equation of the sphere which has P (x1, y1, z1) and Q (x2, y2, z2) as
extremities of a diameter
R(x, y, z)
P Q
Let R (x, y, z) be a general point on the sphere. PR is perpendicular to QR. The
PR’s of PR are (x-x1, y-y1, z-z1) and directions of RQ are (x-x2, y-y2, z-z2).
The equation of a sphere is
(x – x1) (x – x2) + (y – y1) (y – y2) +(z – z1) (z – z2) = 0
3. Reduce the equation of the sphere described on the line joining (2, -1, 4) &
(-2, 2, -2) as diameter. Find the area of the circle in which the sphere is
intersected by the plane 2x+y –z = 3.
Equation of the sphere with (2, -1, 4) and (-2, 2, -2) as extremities of a diameter
is given by
(x-2)(x+2) + (y+1)(y-2) + (z-4)(z+2) = 0
x2 + y2 + z2 - y - z- 14 = 0
Its center is (0, ½, 1) and
61
radius 1/4 1 14 L
4 p p
Let the given plane 2x+y-z-3= 0 cut the sphere (1) in the circle PP with center L p
= perpendicular CL from the centre C of the sphere to the plane
If a is the radius circle PP then a2 = r2 – p2 = 61/4 – 49/24 = 317/24
Hence the area of the circle is a2 = (317/24)
4. A plane passes through a fixed point (a, b, c) and cuts the axis at A, B, C. show
that the locus of a centre of the sphere OABC is a/x + b/y + c/z = 2
Solution : Let the centre of the sphere OABC be P (fgh) so that the radius
OP f 2 g2 h2
Hence equation of the sphere is
(x - f)2 + (y - g)2 + (Z - h)2 = f2 + g2 + h2
i.e., x2 + y2 + z2 + 2xf + 2yg + 2zh = 0 (1)
As A is the point of intersection of the sphere with x-axis, put y = 0 and z = 0 in the
equation of the sphere, we get x2 -2xf = 0 OA = x = 2f
Similarly, OB = 2g and O/C = 2h
Equation of the plane ABC is
x/2f + y/2g + z/2h = 1
Since the plane passes through (a, b, c) we have, a/2f + b/2g + c/2h = 1
Hence locus of the centre (fgh) of the sphere is a/2x +b/2y + c/2z = 1
i.e., a/x + b/y + c/z = 2
5. Find equation of the sphere having a circle x2 + y2 + z2 + 10y - 4z + 8 = 0,
x + y + z = 3 or a great circle.
Solution :
The equation of any sphere through the above circle is given by
(x2 + y2 + z2 + 10y - 4z + 8) + k( x + y + z - 3) = 0
x2 + y2 + z2 + kx + ( 10+k)y – (4-k)z –(8+ 3k) = 0
In order that the above sphere has the given circle as the great circle , a centre
should lie on the plane x + y + z = 3
i.e., - k/2 – (10+k)/2 + (4- k)/2 = 3
k = -4
Hence equation of the required sphere is
x2 + y2 + z2 -4x + 6y -8z + 4 = 0
EXERCISE :
1. Find the equation of the sphere whose diameter is the line joining the origin to
the point (2, -2, 4) find its center and radius.
2. Obtain equation of the sphere which passes through the points
( 1, 0, 0), (0, 1, ) (0, 0, 1) and
a. has its center on the plane x + y + z = 6
b. has its radius as small as possible.
3. A sphere of constant radius k passes through the origin and meets the axis in
A, B, C. Prove that the centroid of the
a. triangle ABC lies on the sphere a(x2 + y2 + z2) = 1+k2 .
b. tetrahedron OABC lies on the
sphere x 2 + y 2 + z 2 = k 2/4 .
4. A plane passes through a fixed point (a, b, c) show that the locus of the foot of
the perpendicular from the origin to the plane is the sphere
x 2 + y 2+ z 2 –ax –by – cz = 0
5. A plane cuts the coordinate axis at ABC with OA = a, OB = b and OC = c.
Find the equation of the circumsphere of the tetrahedron OABC .
EQUATION OF THE TANGENT PLANE
P1
P
O
Let P1 (x1, y1, z1) be a point on the sphere x 2+ y 2+ z2 = a2 and P(x, y, z) be any
point on the tangent plane at P. direction ratio of OP are (x1-0, y1-0, z1-0)
Direction ratios of PP are (x-x1, y-y1, z-z1)
As OP is perpendicular to the tangent plane we have,
x (x-x1) + y(y-y1) +z(z-z1) = 0
i.e., xx1+yy1+zz1 = x1 2 +y1 2 + z1 2 = a 2
Hence equation of the tangent plane to the sphere x 2+ y 2+ z2 = a2 at P(x1,y1,z1) is xx1+
yy1+zz1 = a 2
Similarly the tangent plane at (x1, y1, z1) to the sphere x 2 + y 2 +z 2 +2ux +
ORTHOGONAL SPHERES :
Two spheres are said to be orthogonal to each other if the tangent planes at a point
of intersection are at right angles.
Two spheres cut orthogonally if the square of the distance between their centers is
equal to the sum of squares of their radii.
Example : consider two spheres
x2 + y 2+ z2+ 2ux + 2vy + 2wz + d = 0 (1)
x2 + y 2+ z2+ 2ux + 2vy + 2wz + d = 0 (2)
Center of the sphere (1) is given (-u, -v, -w)
Center of the sphere (1) is given (-u, -v, -w)
And the radii are
r u 2 v 2 w 2 d & r u 2 v 2 w 2 d
C1 C2
If the sphere cut orthogonally then,
(u - u )2 + (v - v)2 + (w - w) 2 = u 2 + v 2 + w2 – d + u 2 + v 2 + w 2- d
i.e.,
2uu + 2vv + 2ww = d + d
The above is the required conditions for the orthogonally of the given spheres.
Exercise :
1. Find the equations of the two spheres which pass through the circle x2 +
y2 + z2 -2x + 2y + 4z – 3 = 0 , 2x + y + z = 4 and touch the plane 3x + 4y =
14
2. Find the equations of the tangent planes to the sphere x 2+ y 2+ z 2= 9
which are parallel to the plane 3x + 4y + 5z = 7
3. Show that the spheres x 2+ y 2+ z 2 = 25
and x 2+ y 2+ z 2 -24x – 40 y – 18z + 225 = 0 touch externally and find their
point of contact.