Section 9.

4: Area of a Surface of Revolution

Consider a continuous function f on the interval [a, b]. Revolving the curve y = f (x),
a ≤ x ≤ b about the x- or y-axis produces a surface known as a surface of revolution. A
general formula for the area of such a surface is
Z
SA = 2πrdL,

where L denotes the arc length function and r is the distance from the curve to the axis of
revolution (the radius).
There are two cases to consider.
1. Revolving about the x-axis.
(a) If the curve y = f (x), a ≤ x ≤ b is revolved about the x-axis, then the area of
the resulting surface is given by
Z b p
SA = 2π f (x) 1 + [f 0 (x)]2 dx.
a

(b) If the curve x = g(y), c ≤ y ≤ d is revolved about the x-axis, then the area of the
resulting surface is given by
Z d p
SA = 2π y 1 + [g 0 (y)]2 dy.
c

(c) If the curve defined by x = x(t), y = y(t), α ≤ t ≤ β is revolved about the x-axis,
then the area of the resulting surface is given by
s 
Z β 2  2
dx dy
SA = 2π y(t) + dt.
α dt dt
2. Revolving about the y-axis.
(a) If the curve y = f (x), a ≤ x ≤ b is revolved about the y-axis, then the area of
the resulting surface is given by
Z b p
SA = 2π x 1 + [f 0 (x)]2 dx.
a

(b) If the curve x = g(y), c ≤ y ≤ d is revolved about the y-axis, then the area of the
resulting surface is given by
Z d p
SA = 2π g(y) 1 + [g 0 (y)]2 dy.
c

(c) If the curve defined by x = x(t), y = y(t), α ≤ t ≤ β is revolved about the y-axis,
then the area of the resulting surface is given by
s 
Z β 2  2
dx dy
SA = 2π x(t) + dt.
α dt dt
Example: Find the area of the surface obtained by revolving the curve y = x3 , 0 ≤ x ≤ 2
about the x-axis.

Since y 0 = 3x2 , the surface area is

Z 2 √
SA = 2π x3 1 + 9x4 dx.
0

Let u = 1 + 9x4 , du = 36x3 dx. Then

π 145 √
Z
SA = udu
18 1
 145
π 2 3/2 
= u
18 3 
1
π √
= (145 145 − 1).
27

1
Example: Find the area of the surface obtained by revolving the curve x = (y 2 + 2)3/2 ,
3
1 ≤ y ≤ 2 about the x-axis.

p
Since x0 = y y 2 + 2, the surface area is
Z 2 p
SA = 2π y 1 + y 2 (y 2 + 2)dy
Z1 2 p
= 2π y y 4 + 2y 2 + 1dy
1
Z 2 p
= 2π y (y 2 + 1)2 dy
Z1 2
= 2π y(y 2 + 1)dy
Z1 2
= 2π (y 3 + y)dy
1
 2
1 4 1 2 
= 2π y + y 
4 2 1
21π
= .
2
Example: Find the area of the surface obtained by revolving the parametric curve defined
by x(t) = 3t − t3 , y(t) = 3t2 , 0 ≤ t ≤ 1 about the x-axis.

dx dy
Since = 3 − 3t2 and = 6t, the surface area is
dt dt
Z 1 p
SA = 2π 3t2 (3 − 3t2 )2 + (6t)2 dt
Z0 1 √
= 6π t2 9 − 18t2 + 9t4 + 36t2 dt
Z0 1 √
= 6π t2 9 + 18t2 + 9t4 dt
Z0 1 p
= 6π t2 9(1 + t2 )2 dt
Z0 1
= 18π t2 (1 + t2 )dt
Z0 1
= 18π (t2 + t4 )dt
0
 1
1 3 1 5 
= 18π t + t 
3 5 0
48π
= .
5

Example: Find the area of the surface obtained by revolving the curve y = 1 − x2 , 0 ≤ x ≤ 1
about the y-axis.

Since y 0 = −2x, the surface area is

Z 1 √
SA = 2π x 1 + 4x2 dx.
0

Let u = 1 + 4x2 , du = 8xdx. Then

π 5√
Z
SA = udu
4 1
 5
π 2 3/2 
= u
4 3 
1
π √
= (5 5 − 1).
6
 p
Example: Find the area of the surface obtained by revolving the curve x = 2y − y 2 ,
0 ≤ y ≤ 1 about the y-axis.

1−y
Since x0 = p , the surface area is
2y − y 2
v !2
u
1
1−y
Z p u
SA = 2π 2
2y − y t1 + p dy
0 2y − y 2
s
1
1 − 2y + y 2
Z p
= 2π 2y − y 2 1+ dy
0 2y − y 2
1
Z r
p 1
= 2π 2y − y 2 dy
2y − y 2
Z0 1
= 2π 1dy
0
= 2π.

Example: Find the area of the surface obtained by revolving the parametric curve defined
by x(t) = et − t, y(t) = 4et/2 , 0 ≤ t ≤ 1 about the y-axis.

dx dy
Since = et − 1 and = 2et/2 , the surface area is
dt dt
Z 1 q
SA = 2π (et − t) (et − 1)2 + (2et/2 )2 dt
Z0 1 √
= 2π (et − t) e2t − 2et + 1 + 4et dt
Z0 1 √
= 2π (et − t) e2t + 2et + 1dt
Z0 1 p
= 2π (et − t) (et + 1)2 dt
Z0 1
= 2π (et − t)(et + 1)dt
Z0 1
= 2π e2t + et − tet − tdt
0 Z 1 
1 2t t t 1 2
= 2π e + e − te dt − t .
2 0 2
Let u = t and dv = et dt. Then du = dt and v = et . So
 1
1 2t t t t 1 2 
SA = 2π e + e − te + e − t 
2 2 0
2
= πe + 2πe − 6π.

Example: (Gabriel’s Horn)

1
Consider revolving the region under the graph of y = , 1 ≤ x ≤ ∞ about the x-axis.
x
(a) Find the volume of the resulting solid.

Using the Disk Method,

Z ∞
1
V = π dx
1 x2
Z N
1
= π lim dx
N →∞1 x2
N !
1 
= π lim − 
N →∞ x 1
 
1
= π lim 1 −
N →∞ N
= π.

(b) Find the surface area of the solid.

1
Since y 0 = − , the surface area is
x2
Z ∞
r
1 1
SA = 2π 1 + 4 dx
x x
Z1 ∞
1
≥ 2π dx
1 x
Z N
1
= 2π lim dx
N →∞ 1 x
N
= 2π lim ln |x|

N →∞ 1
= 2π lim ln N
N →∞
= ∞.

The resulting solid has finite volume, but infinite surface area. Thus, the horn can be filled
with a finite amount of paint but the surface can never be completely covered!