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Section 6.3 Volumes of Revolution (AI3)

Activity 6.3.1.

Consider the function \(f(x)=x+1\) and the solid of revolution generated by rotating the region in the first quadrant bounded by

\begin{equation*} y=f(x) \text{ and } x=6 \end{equation*}

about the \(x\)-axis.

A plot of f(x).
Figure 95. Plot of \(f(x)=x+1\) over \([0,6]\text{.}\)

We wish to find the volume of this solid.

(a)

Suppose we estimate the volume of this solid by approximating it with two cylinders of “height” \(\Delta x=3\) with radii \(f(0)=1\) and \(f(3)=4\text{.}\)

A plot of f(x) approximated by 2 cylinders.
Figure 96. Plot of \(f(x)=x+1\) over \([0,6]\) and the cross sections of two cylinders.

What is the volume of the cylinder with radius \(f(0)=1\text{?}\)

  1. \(\displaystyle \pi\cdot 0^2\cdot 3\)

  2. \(\displaystyle \pi\cdot 1^2\cdot 3\)

  3. \(\displaystyle \pi\cdot 3^2\cdot 3\)

  4. \(\displaystyle \pi\cdot 4^2\cdot 3\)

  5. \(\displaystyle \pi\cdot 6^2\cdot 3\)

  6. \(\displaystyle \pi\cdot 7^2\cdot 3\)

(b)

A plot of f(x) approximated by 2 cylinders.
Figure 97. Plot of \(f(x)=x+1\) over \([0,6]\) and the cross sections of two cylinders.

What is the volume of the cylinder with radius \(f(3)=4\text{?}\)

  1. \(\displaystyle \pi\cdot 0^2\cdot 3\)

  2. \(\displaystyle \pi\cdot 1^2\cdot 3\)

  3. \(\displaystyle \pi\cdot 3^2\cdot 3\)

  4. \(\displaystyle \pi\cdot 4^2\cdot 3\)

  5. \(\displaystyle \pi\cdot 6^2\cdot 3\)

  6. \(\displaystyle \pi\cdot 7^2\cdot 3\)

(c)

Suppose we now use a “height” of \(\Delta x=2\text{.}\)

A plot of f(x) and cross section of 3 cylinders.
Figure 98. Plot of \(f(x)=x+1\) over \([0,6]\) and the cross sections of 3 cylinders.

Fill out the following table.

\begin{equation*} \begin{array}{|c|c|c|c|} \hline x_i & \Delta x & \text{Radius of Cross Section, i.e.,} f(x_i) & \text{Estimated Volume}\\ \hline x_1=0 & 2 & & \\ \hline x_2=2 & 2 & & \\ \hline x_3=4 & 2 & & \\ \hline \end{array} \end{equation*}

(d)

Which of the following Reimann sums best approximates the volume of our solid?

  1. \(\displaystyle \displaystyle \sum \pi x_i^2\Delta x\)

  2. \(\displaystyle \displaystyle \sum \pi (x_i+1)^2\Delta x\)

  3. \(\displaystyle \displaystyle \sum 2\pi x_i\Delta x\)

  4. \(\displaystyle \displaystyle \sum 2\pi (x_i+1)\Delta x\)

(e)

Which of the following integrals computes the volume of our solid?

  1. \(\displaystyle \displaystyle \int_0^6 2\pi (x+1)dx\)

  2. \(\displaystyle \displaystyle \int_0^6 \pi x^2dx\)

  3. \(\displaystyle \displaystyle \int_0^6 2\pi xdx\)

  4. \(\displaystyle \displaystyle \int_0^6 \pi (x+1)^2dx\)

(f)

What is the volume of our solid?

Activity 6.3.2.

Suppose we wanted to find the volume of the the solid of revolution generated by rotating the region in the first quadrant bounded by the curves

\begin{equation*} x=0, y=2, \text{ and } y=\sqrt{x} \end{equation*}

about the \(y\)-axis.

Bounded region rotated about \(y\)-axis.
Figure 99. Plot of bounded region rotated about the \(y\)-axis.

(a)

Bounded region rotated about \(y\)-axis.
Figure 100. Plot of bounded region rotated about the \(y\)-axis.

Consider a cross section at height \(y\text{.}\) What is the radius of this cross section?

  1. \(\displaystyle r=4\)

  2. \(\displaystyle r=2\)

  3. \(\displaystyle r=\sqrt{x}\)

  4. \(\displaystyle r=x^2\)

  5. \(\displaystyle r=\sqrt{y}\)

  6. \(\displaystyle r=y^2\)

(b)

Suppose we wanted to estimate this volume with 4 cylinders with \(\Delta y=0.5\text{.}\) Fill out the following table.

\begin{equation*} \begin{array}{|c|c|c|c|} \hline y_i & \Delta y & \text{Radius of Cross Section} & \text{Estimated Volume}\\ \hline y_1=0 & 0.5 & & \\ \hline y_2=0.5 & 0.5 & & \\ \hline y_3=1 & 0.5 & & \\ \hline y_4=1.5 & 0.5 & & \\ \hline \end{array} \end{equation*}

(c)

Which of the following Reimann sums best approximates the volume of our solid?

  1. \(\displaystyle \displaystyle \sum 2\pi y_i^2\Delta y\)

  2. \(\displaystyle \displaystyle \sum \pi (y_i^2)^2\Delta y\)

  3. \(\displaystyle \displaystyle \sum 2\pi \sqrt{y_i}\Delta y\)

  4. \(\displaystyle \displaystyle \sum \pi (\sqrt{y_i})^2\Delta y\)

(d)

Which of the following integrals computes the volume of our solid?

  1. \(\displaystyle \displaystyle \int_0^2 \pi y^4 dy\)

  2. \(\displaystyle \displaystyle \int_0^4 \pi y^4 dy\)

  3. \(\displaystyle \displaystyle \int_{-4}^4 \pi y^4 dy\)

(e)

What is the volume of our solid?

Activity 6.3.4.

Consider the solid of revolution generated by rotating the region bounded by

\begin{equation*} x=0, x=4, y=0, y=x, \text{ and } y=2x+1 \end{equation*}

about the \(x\)-axis.

Bounded region rotated about \(x\)-axis.
Figure 101. Plot of bounded region rotated about the \(x\)-axis.

(a)

What is the shape of the cross section made at \(x=x_i\text{?}\)

Bounded region rotated about \(x\)-axis.
Figure 102. Plot of Bounded region rotated about the \(x\)-axis.

  1. A circle with radius \(r=x_i\text{.}\)

  2. A circle with radius \(r=2x_i+1\text{.}\)

  3. A circle with radius \(r=2x_i+1-x_i=x_i+1\text{.}\)

  4. An annulus with outside radius \(R=2x_i+1\) and inner radius \(r=x_i\text{.}\)

(b)

Suppose we wanted to estimate this volume with 4 cylinders or annular cylinders with \(\Delta x=1\text{.}\) What is the volume of the (annular) cylinder formed at the cross section \(x_i=1\text{?}\)

  1. \(\displaystyle \pi\cdot 1^2\cdot 1\)

  2. \(\displaystyle \pi\cdot 3^2\cdot 1\)

  3. \(\displaystyle \pi\cdot 2^2\cdot 1\)

  4. \(\displaystyle (\pi\cdot 3^2-\pi\cdot 1^2)\cdot 1\)

(c)

We continue to estimate this volume with 4 cylinders or annular cylinders with \(\Delta x=1\text{.}\) Fill out the following table:

\begin{equation*} \begin{array}{|c|c|c|c|} \hline x_i & \Delta x & \text{Area of Cross Section} & \text{Estimated Volume}\\ \hline x_1=0 & 1 & & \\ \hline x_2=1 & 1 & 8\pi & 8\pi\cdot 1 \\ \hline x_3=2 & 1 & & \\ \hline x_4=3 & 1 & & \\ \hline \end{array} \end{equation*}

(d)

Which of the following Reimann sums best approximates the volume of our solid?

  1. \(\displaystyle \displaystyle \sum \pi x_i^2\Delta x\)

  2. \(\displaystyle \displaystyle \sum \pi (2x_i+1)^2\Delta x\)

  3. \(\displaystyle \displaystyle \sum \pi (2x_i+1-x_i)^2\Delta x\)

  4. \(\displaystyle \displaystyle \sum \pi \left((2x_i+1)^2-x_i^2 \right)\Delta x\)

(e)

Which of the following integrals computes the volume of our solid?

  1. \(\displaystyle \displaystyle \int_0^4 \pi x^2 dx\)

  2. \(\displaystyle \displaystyle \int_0^4 \pi (2x+1)^2 dx\)

  3. \(\displaystyle \displaystyle \int_0^4 \pi (x+1)^2 dx\)

  4. \(\displaystyle \displaystyle \int_0^4 \pi ((2x+1)^2-x^2) dx\)

(f)

What is the volume of our solid?

(g)

How else could we have computed the volume?

  1. Find the volume of the region bounded by \(f(x)=2x+1\) on \([0,4]\) rotated about the \(x\)-axis, and subtract the volume of the region bounded by \(g(x)=x\) on \([0,4]\) rotated about the \(x\)-axis.

  2. Find the volume of the region bounded by \(f(x)=2x+1-x=x+1\) on \([0,4]\) rotated about the \(x\)-axis.

Activity 6.3.6.

Suppose we wanted to find the volume of the the solid of revolution generated by rotating the region in the first quadrant bounded by the curves

\begin{equation*} x=0, x=3, y=0, \text{ and } y=\frac{4}{2^x} \end{equation*}

about the \(y\)-axis.

Bounded region rotated about the \(y\)-axis.
Figure 103. Plot of Bounded region rotated about the \(y\)-axis.

(a)

Suppose we wanted to estimate this volume with 3 concentric annular cylinders with heights \(h_i=f(r_i)=\frac{4}{2^{r_i}}\text{,}\) where \(r_i\) are the inner radii and \(R_i\) are the outer radii. Over which values do the radii \(r_i\) and \(R_i\) range?

  1. \(\displaystyle [-3,3]\)

  2. \(\displaystyle [0,3]\)

  3. \(\displaystyle [-4,4]\)

  4. \(\displaystyle [0,4]\)

(b)

Recall that the volume of an annular cylinder of height \(h\text{,}\) inner radius \(r\) and outer radius \(R\) is \(V=\pi(R^2-r^2)h\text{.}\)

Bounded region rotated about \(y\)-axis.
Figure 104. Plot of Bounded region rotated about the \(y\)-axis.

Fill out the following table.

\begin{equation*} \begin{array}{|c|c|c|c|c|} \hline r_i & \Delta r_i & R_i=r_i+\Delta r & \displaystyle h_i=f(r_i)=\frac{4}{2^{r_i}} & \text{Estimated Volume}\\ \hline r_1=0 & 1 & R_1=0+1=1 & & \\ \hline r_2=1 & 1 & R_2=1+1=2 & & \\ \hline r_3=2 & 1 & R_3=2+1=3 & & \\ \hline \end{array} \end{equation*}

(c)

Consider an arbitrary annular cylinder with inner radius \(r_i\text{,}\) outer radius \(r_i+\Delta r\text{,}\) and height \(\displaystyle h_i=\frac{4}{2^{r_i}}\text{.}\)

Bounded region rotated about \(y\)-axis.
Figure 105. Plot of Bounded region rotated about the \(y\)-axis.

Which of the following represents the volume of this annular cylinder?

  1. \(\displaystyle \pi r_i^2\cdot \frac{4}{2^{r_i}}\)

  2. \(\displaystyle \pi ((r_i+\Delta r)^2-r_i^2)\cdot \frac{4}{2^{r_i}}\)

  3. \(\displaystyle \pi ((r_i+\Delta r)-r_i)^2\cdot \frac{4}{2^{r_i}}\)

  4. \(\displaystyle \pi (r_i+\Delta r)^2\cdot \frac{4}{2^{r_i+\Delta r}}\)

(d)

Recall that \(\pi ((r_i+\Delta r)^2-r_i^2)=\pi(2(\Delta r) r_i+(\Delta r)^2)=\pi(2 r_i+(\Delta r))\Delta r\text{.}\) Which of the following Riemann sums best estimates the volume of our solid?

  1. \(\displaystyle \displaystyle \sum \pi(2 r_i+(\Delta r))\frac{4}{2^{r_i}}\Delta r\)

  2. \(\displaystyle \displaystyle \sum \pi r_i^2\frac{4}{2^{r_i}}\Delta r\)

  3. \(\displaystyle \displaystyle \sum \pi (r_i+\Delta r)^2\frac{4}{2^{r_i}}\Delta r\)

(e)

Which of the following integrals computes the volume of our solid?

  1. \(\displaystyle \displaystyle \int_{-3}^3 2\pi r \frac{4}{2^r} dr\)

  2. \(\displaystyle \displaystyle \int_{0}^3 2\pi r \frac{4}{2^r} dr\)

  3. \(\displaystyle \displaystyle \int_{0}^3 2\pi r \frac{4}{2^r} dr\)

(f)

What is the volume of our solid?

Activity 6.3.8.

Consider the region bounded by

\begin{equation*} x=0, y=2, x=4, \text{ and } y=\sqrt{x}. \end{equation*}

(a)

Find the volume of the solid generated by rotating this region about the \(x\)-axis.

(b)

Find the volume of the solid generated by rotating this region about the \(y\)-axis.

Activity 6.3.9.

Consider the region bounded by

\begin{equation*} x=0, y=0, y=x+3, \text{ and } x=4. \end{equation*}

Find the volume of the solid generated by rotating this region about the line \(x=10\text{.}\) (Hint: Sketch this figure, what is the outer radius \(R(x)\text{?}\) What is the inner radius \(r(x)\text{?}\))

Subsection 6.3.1 Videos

Figure 106. Video: Compute volumes of solids of revolution, washer \(x\)-axis
Figure 107. Video: Compute volumes of solids of revolution, shell \(x\)-axis
Figure 108. Video: Compute volumes of solids of revolution, washer \(y\)-axis
Figure 109. Video: Compute volumes of solids of revolution, shell \(y\)-axis