Geometry Question About A Sphere

In summary, the conversation discusses the formula for determining the placement of a single dot every 50 meters within a sphere with a radius of 100 meters. It is noted that the volume of the sphere should be divided by 125000, not 50, to get the correct number of dots. However, this formula does not take into account the arrangement of the dots within the sphere and there is an entire area of mathematics dedicated to this topic.
  • #1
bodykey
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If I had a sphere with a radius of 100 meters, a diameter of 200 meters, a volume of 4,188,790.20 square meters, and I wanted to place within this sphere a single dot (one dimensional so it doesn't take up any extra space and there is no displacement --if you're thinking in terms of water--), and I need to have one dot every 50 meters, what is the formula I would use to determine that?

I thought it was just divide the volume by the number 50, but that comes out with a large number like 83,775.80, which seems insanely huge for something with just a diameter of 100 meters. What am I doing wrong here?

This isn't a homework question, just something I'm trying to throw together for an experiment I'm doing in my personal time.
 
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  • #2
I presume you are trying to fill the volume of the sphere. You need to divide by 125000 (503) not 50. I got 33.

Note volume is cubic meters, not square meters.
 
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  • #3
Ah ok...that makes SO much more sense! lol
 
  • #4
mathman said:
I presume you are trying to fill the volume of the sphere. You need to divide by 125000 (503) not 50. I got 33.

Note volume is cubic meters, not square meters.

Since the "dots" are to be 50 m. apart, each dot could be thought of as the center of a sphere 25 m. in radius, so you need to divide the volume of the large sphere by (4/3)##\pi (25)^3##.

This wouldn't give you the exact number of points inside the sphere, as it doesn't take into account how the small spheres are arranged inside the larger one. One of the areas of mathematics deals with sphere packing inside of geometric objects. Mathematicians who work in this area consider such simple examples as how oranges are stacked in a pyramidal pile on up to how spheres can be packed in much higher dimensions, which has application in the area of digital communications.
 
  • #5


Thank you for your question. To determine the number of dots that can fit within a sphere of a given radius, we can use the formula for the volume of a sphere, V = (4/3)πr^3, where r is the radius.

In this case, the volume of the sphere is given as 4,188,790.20 cubic meters. So, we can set up the equation as:

4,188,790.20 = (4/3)πr^3

Solving for r, we get r ≈ 56.42 meters.

Now, to determine the number of dots that can fit within this sphere, we need to divide the circumference of the sphere (which is also the distance around the sphere) by the distance between each dot, which is 50 meters. The circumference of a sphere can be calculated as:

C = 2πr

Substituting the value of r we found earlier, we get C ≈ 354.49 meters.

Dividing this by 50 meters, we get the number of dots that can fit within the sphere as 7.09.

So, in conclusion, with a sphere of radius 100 meters, you can fit approximately 7 dots with a distance of 50 meters between each dot.

I hope this helps with your experiment. Keep up the curiosity and keep exploring!
 

What is a sphere?

A sphere is a three-dimensional shape that is perfectly round in all directions, similar to a ball or a globe.

What are the properties of a sphere?

A sphere has a curved surface, a constant radius, and a center point. It also has no edges or corners, and all points on its surface are equidistant from the center.

What is the formula for finding the volume of a sphere?

The formula for finding the volume of a sphere is 4/3πr³, where r is the radius of the sphere.

How do you calculate the surface area of a sphere?

The surface area of a sphere can be calculated using the formula 4πr², where r is the radius of the sphere.

What are some real-life examples of spheres?

Spheres can be found in nature, such as planets, fruits like oranges and apples, and bubbles. They are also used in man-made objects like balls, balloons, and globes.

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