Teaser for discussion (I havn't the answer!)
If a perfect sphere is sat on a perfect flat, what is the contact area
If a perfect sphere is sat on a perfect flat, what is the contact area
Theoretical question
- Thread starter ricicle
- Start date
Sponsored Links
2
2scoops0406
zero
B
breezer
thats not right.
if it were sitting on something there has to be a contact point, if it wasnt it would be floating / no contact
if it were sitting on something there has to be a contact point, if it wasnt it would be floating / no contact
2
2scoops0406
breezer said:
why?
Sponsored Links
B
breezer
since it is sitting on it, it must have a point of contact, otherwise it could not be sitting there could it
2
2scoops0406
breezer said:
Then it can't be a perfect sphere.
- Joined
- 11 Jan 2004
- Messages
- 43,955
- Reaction score
- 2,886
- Country
Sorry, I tend toward's Breezer's argument. If it is "sitting", it must be in contact.
2
2scoops0406
Ok, so what percentage of the surface area is in contact?
2
2scoops0406
crafty1289 said:I'd say the contact area "tends to zero"
I'd say is was zero, think about PI.
I think its a case of you would never find the (if any) contact point as a perfect sphere would always be bending away from the flat in all directions no matter how close you got to look
bang the sphere hard against the plane. then it will become a bit flatter and the area of contact will be proportional to the force of the bang.
IIRC, the area of a sphere is pi x r³ and the volume is 4/3 x pi x r ³ or the other way around. I remember my maths teacher getting over excited by this. "isn't it amazing kids!"
EDIT: surface area is 4 pi r²
volume is 4/3 pi r ³ as i said
IIRC, the area of a sphere is pi x r³ and the volume is 4/3 x pi x r ³ or the other way around. I remember my maths teacher getting over excited by this. "isn't it amazing kids!"
EDIT: surface area is 4 pi r²
volume is 4/3 pi r ³ as i said
No its a theoretical questionjoe-90 said:
Sponsored Links
