The Sphere

Sphere:
A sphere is a solid with all its points the same distance from the center. The
distance is known as the radius of the sphere. The maximum straight distance
through the center of a sphere is known as the diameter of the sphere. The
diameter is twice the radius.
The following figure gives the formula for the volume of sphere.
 The Sphere
Formula:
1. The equation of a sphere: (𝑥 − 𝑎)2 +(𝑦 − 𝑏)2 +(𝑧 − 𝑐)2 = 𝑅 2

2. General equation of a sphere: 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 + 𝑧 2 + 2𝑢𝑥 + 2𝑣𝑦 + 2𝑤𝑧 + 𝑑 = 0

3. Centre: (–𝑢, –𝑣, –𝑤)

4. Radius: 𝑢2 + 𝑣 2 + 𝑤 2 − 𝑑

5. When the plane 𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏𝑦 + 𝑐𝑧 + 𝑑 = 0 touch the sphere 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 + 𝑧 2 + 2𝑢𝑥 +

𝑎𝑢+𝑏𝑣+𝑐𝑤+𝑑
2𝑣𝑦 + 2𝑤𝑧 + 𝑑 = 0, then radius of the sphere =
𝑎2 +𝑏2 +𝑐 2
 The Sphere
Problem 1: Find the radius and center of the sphere 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 + 𝑧 2 − 4𝑥 + 6𝑦 − 8𝑧 + 4 = 0.
Solution: We have,
𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 + 𝑧 2 − 4𝑥 + 6𝑦 − 8𝑧 + 4 = 0……………..(1)
We know the general equation of a sphere is
𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 + 𝑧 2 + 2𝑢𝑥 + 2𝑣𝑦 + 2𝑤𝑧 + 𝑑 = 0………….(2)
Now compare equation (1) with equation (2), we get
2𝑢𝑥 = −4𝑥 2𝑣𝑦 = 6𝑦 2𝑤𝑧 = −8𝑧 𝑑=4
∴ 𝑢 = −2 ∴𝑣=3 ∴ 𝑤 = −4

∴ Centre: (–𝑢, –𝑣, –𝑤) = (2, –3, 4) (Ans.)

∴ Radius: 𝑢2 + 𝑣 2 + 𝑤 2 − 𝑑 = 22 + −3 2 + 4 2 −4
= 4 + 9 + 16 − 4
= 25
=5 (Ans.)
 The Sphere
Problem 2: Find the equation of the sphere through the circle 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 + 𝑧 2 = 9,
2𝑥 + 3𝑦 + 4𝑧 = 5 and the point (1, 2, 3).

Solution: Let the equation of the sphere through the circle given is
𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 + 𝑧 2 − 9 + 𝑘 2𝑥 + 3𝑦 + 4𝑧 − 5 = 0 ………...(1) ∵ 𝑠 + 𝑘𝑝 = 0
Since it passes through the point (1, 2, 3) then, we get
12 + 22 + 32 − 9 + 𝑘 2.1 + 3.2 + 4.3 − 5 = 0
⇒ 1 + 4 + 9 − 9 + 𝑘 2 + 6 + 12 − 5 = 0
⇒ 15𝑘 + 5 = 0
1
∴ 𝑘 = −3

Putting the value of 𝑘 in equation (1), we get,

1
𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 + 𝑧 2 − 9 + (− 3) 2𝑥 + 3𝑦 + 4𝑧 − 5 = 0

⇒ 3𝑥 2 + 3𝑦 2 + 3𝑧 2 − 27 − 2𝑥 − 3𝑦 − 4𝑧 + 5 = 0
∴ 3𝑥 2 + 3𝑦 2 + 3𝑧 2 − 2𝑥 − 3𝑦 − 4𝑧 − 22 = 0 (Ans.)
 The Sphere
Problem 3: Find the equations of the sphere through the circle 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 + 𝑧 2 = 5,
𝑥 + 2𝑦 + 3𝑧 = 3 and touches the plane 4𝑥 + 3𝑦 = 15.
Solution: Let the equation of the sphere through the circle given is
𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 + 𝑧 2 − 5 + 𝑘 𝑥 + 2𝑦 + 3𝑧 − 3 = 0……..……..(1) ∵ 𝑠 + 𝑘𝑝 = 0
⇒ 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 + 𝑧 2 − 5 + 𝑘𝑥 + 2𝑘𝑦 + 3𝑘𝑧 − 3𝑘 = 0
⇒ 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 + 𝑧 2 + 𝑘𝑥 + 2𝑘𝑦 + 3𝑘𝑧 − 5 + 3𝑘 = 0
𝑘 −3𝑘
∴ Its center: (− 2 , −𝑘, 2
)

𝑘2 9𝑘 2
∴ Radius = + 𝑘2 + + 5 + 3𝑘 ∵ 𝑢2 + 𝑣 2 + 𝑤 2 − 𝑑
4 4

𝑘 2 +4𝑘 2 +9𝑘 2 +20+12𝑘

= 4

14𝑘 2 +12𝑘+20
= 4

7𝑘 2 +6𝑘+10
=
2
 The Sphere
Since it touches the plane 4𝑥 + 3𝑦 − 15 = 0, then we have
𝑎𝑢+𝑏𝑣+𝑐𝑤+𝑑
Radius =
𝑎2 +𝑏2 +𝑐 2
𝑘
7𝑘 2 +6𝑘+10 4 −2 +3 −𝑘 −15
⇒ = ∵ 𝑎 = 4, 𝑏 = 3, 𝑐 = 0 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑑 = −15
2 4 2 +32

7𝑘 2 +6𝑘+10 −2𝑘−3𝑘−15
⇒ =
2 25

7𝑘 2 +6𝑘+10 −5(𝑘+3)
⇒ =
2 5
2
7𝑘 2 +6𝑘+10 2
⇒ = −(𝑘 + 3) [By Squaring]
2

7𝑘 2 +6𝑘+10
⇒ = 𝑘 2 + 6𝑘 + 9
2

⇒ 7𝑘 2 + 6𝑘 + 10 = 2𝑘 2 + 12𝑘 + 18
 The Sphere
⇒ 7𝑘 2 − 2𝑘 2 + 6𝑘 − 12𝑘 + 10 − 18 = 0
⇒ 5𝑘 2 − 6𝑘 − 8 = 0
⇒ 5𝑘 2 − 10𝑘 + 4𝑘 − 8 = 0
⇒ 5𝑘 𝑘 − 2 + 4 𝑘 − 2 = 0
⇒ 𝑘 − 2 5𝑘 + 4 = 0
4
∴ k = 2, −
5

Putting the value of k = 2 in equation (1)

𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 + 𝑧 2 − 5 + 2 𝑥 + 2𝑦 + 3𝑧 − 3 = 0
⇒ 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 + 𝑧 2 − 5 + 2𝑥 + 4𝑦 + 6𝑧 − 6 = 0
∴ 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 + 𝑧 2 + 2𝑥 + 4𝑦 + 6𝑧 − 11 = 0 (Ans.)
 The Sphere
4
Again putting the value of k = − 5 in equation (1)
4
𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 + 𝑧 2 − 5 + (− 5) 𝑥 + 2𝑦 + 3𝑧 − 3 = 0

⇒ 5𝑥 2 + 5𝑦 2 + 5𝑧 2 − 25 − 4𝑥 − 8𝑦 − 12𝑧 + 12 = 0
∴ 5 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 + 𝑧 2 − 4𝑥 − 8𝑦 − 12𝑧 − 13 = 0 (Ans.)

Problem 4: Find the equation of the sphere whose center is (2, –3, 2) and tangent
to the plane 6𝑥 − 3𝑦 + 2𝑧 − 8 = 0.
Solution: Given center: (2, −3, 2)

And the equation of the plane is 6𝑥 − 3𝑦 + 2𝑧 − 8 = 0

Since the sphere touches the plane 6𝑥 − 3𝑦 + 2𝑧 − 8 = 0, then we have

𝑎𝑢+𝑏𝑣+𝑐𝑤+𝑑
Radius =
𝑎2 +𝑏2 +𝑐 2
 The Sphere
𝑎𝑢+𝑏𝑣+𝑐𝑤+𝑑
Radius =
𝑎2 +𝑏2 +𝑐 2
6×2 + (−3)(−3) + 2×2 −8 Here, 𝑎 = 6, 𝑏 = −3, 𝑐 = 2 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑑 = −8
= 𝑢 = 2, 𝑣 = −3, 𝑤 = 2
62 +(−3)2 +22
12 + 9 + 4 − 8
=
36 + 9 + 4
17
=
49
17
=
7
Therefore, the equation of the sphere is
17 2 See formula no. 1
(𝑥 − 2)2 + (𝑦 + 3)2 + (𝑧 − 2)2 = 7
289
⇒ 𝑥 2 − 4𝑥 + 4 + 𝑦 2 + 6𝑦 + 9 + 𝑧 2 − 4𝑧 + 4 = 49
289
⇒ 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 + 𝑧 2 − 4𝑥 + 6𝑦 − 4𝑧 + 17 = 49

⇒ 49 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 + 𝑧 2 − 196𝑥 + 294𝑦 − 196𝑧 + 833 = 289

∴ 49 𝑥 2 + 𝑦 2 + 𝑧 2 − 196𝑥 + 294𝑦 − 196𝑧 + 544 = 0 (Ans.)