kissing numbers

jal

I am looking for info on kissing numbers.
If all the spheres are of one unit then there are 12 spheres in 3d that can kiss the center sphere.
Question:
If the outer spheres are smaller by say 1/4, 1/2 etc. what would be the kissing numbers?
I assume that this has already been done but my search has not found anything.
jal

maze

The reason it works out nice for spheres of equal size is because the dodecahedron has 12 faces. I think the answer is going to be ugly for sphere kissings that don't correspond to platonic solids.

Similar Threads for: kissing numbers
Thread	Forum	Replies
the Evolution of Kissing	Social Sciences	13
Kissing Congress	General Discussion	2
Kissing the cobras!	General Discussion	19
Howcome HIV doesn't spread by kissing?	Biology	5
What are the origins of kissing?	Biology	15

jal Blog Entries: 30	kissing numbers Tweet I am looking for info on kissing numbers. If all the spheres are of one unit then there are 12 spheres in 3d that can kiss the center sphere. Question: If the outer spheres are smaller by say 1/4, 1/2 etc. what would be the kissing numbers? I assume that this has already been done but my search has not found anything. jal

maze	The reason it works out nice for spheres of equal size is because the dodecahedron has 12 faces. I think the answer is going to be ugly for sphere kissings that don't correspond to platonic solids.