surface integral

surface integral, In calculus, the integral of a function of several variables calculated over a surface. For functions of a single variable, definite integrals are calculated over intervals on the x-axis and result in areas. For functions of two variables, the simplest double integrals are calculated over rectangular regions and result in volumes. More generally, an integral calculated over a plane or curved surface results in a surface integral representing a volume, though it also has many nongeometric applications.