5.1.1.

Volume Element in Cylindrical and

Spherical Polar Coordinates
(1) Polar coordinates (r, ): the area element

Change of variables in the double integral:

ZZ

Rf

dx dy =

ZZ

Rf

r dr d

(2) Cylindrical polar coordinates (r, , z)

x = r cos , y = r sin , z = z
Volume element: dV = r dr d dz
Change of variables in the volume (triple) integral:
ZZZ

f dx dy dz =
1

ZZZ

f r dr d dz

(3) Spherical polar coordinates (r, , )

x = r sin cos , y = r sin sin , z = r cos

Volume element:
dV = dr r d r sin d
= r2 sin dr d d
Change of variables in the volume (triple) integral:
ZZZ

f dx dy dz =

ZZZ

f r2 sin dr d d