Surface area of a cylinder question

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around a physics problem related to the surface area of a cylinder, specifically in the context of designing a cylindrical space station. The original poster presents parameters including the radius and rotational period, along with a requirement for the surface area.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • The original poster calculates the height of the cylinder based on the given surface area and questions whether the surface area should be squared. Other participants clarify the conversion of units from square kilometers to square meters and discuss the implications of squaring the surface area value.

Discussion Status

The discussion is active, with participants providing clarifications regarding unit conversions and the interpretation of the surface area requirement. There is an acknowledgment of confusion regarding the correct interpretation of the surface area value.

Contextual Notes

Participants are navigating potential misunderstandings related to unit conversions and the implications of the surface area requirement in the context of the problem. The original poster expresses uncertainty about the height calculation based on the surface area provided.

Asphyxiated
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Homework Statement



This is actually for my Physics 211 class but the question is very simple. We were asked to construct a cylindrical space station to specific parameters which are not important to the question. I know that my cylinder has a radius of 399.97m and a rotational period of 40.12 seconds to fit the given requirements. It also states that the space station must have a surface area equal to .8 km^2 or 800 m^2. The surface area of a cylinder (minus the top and the bottom which we are to ignore) is:

2 \pi r h = A

That is:

2 \pi (399.97) h = 800 m^{2}

h = \frac {800 m^{2}}{2 \pi (399.97)} = .318 m

which is only about a foot... Am I looking at this wrong is is the height seriously suppose to be .318 meters? Is the 800 suppose to be squared as well by chance? lol cause if it was i get a height of 254.66 m which sounds a whole lot better to me.

Please note that I know that the other numbers I am using are 100% correct, i have confirmed the with my teacher, i just never thought to ask about the height but it turns out I squared 800 before and got the more reasonable (to me) 254.66 meters... Now that I am writing the lab it seems that it should just be 800 and now the height is only .318m! lol, let me know what you think.

Thanks!
 
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Asphyxiated: Remember 1km = 1000 m, therefore 1 km^2 = 1 square km
1 km^2 = 1000 m x 1000 m

The SA of the station is then 0.8 km^2 = 800000 sq. m
 
Asphyxiated said:
Is the 800 suppose to be squared as well by chance?

Yep :wink:

1km2=10002m2=1,000,000m2

edit: sorry I mistakenly wrote 800,000 when I was meant to write 800^2=640,000
 
Last edited:
Ok good lol, I am not sure why I was second guessing myself the first time. Thanks for clearing that issue up. I think studying for my calc II finals have thrown me off on my physics stuff.

Thanks much though!
 

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