Lectures on Physics has been derived from Benjamin Crowell's Light and Matter series of free introductory textbooks on physics. See the editorial for more information.... |
Home Newtonian Physics Scaling and Order-of-Magnitude Estimates Examples Scaling of the volume of a sphere | |||||
Search the VIAS Library | Index | |||||
Scaling of the volume of a sphere
In figure n, the larger sphere has a radius that is five times greater. How many times greater is its volume? Correct solution #1: Volume scales like the third power of the linear size, so the larger sphere has a volume that is 125 times greater (53 = 125). Correct solution #2: The volume of a sphere is V = (4/3)πr3, so
Incorrect solution: The volume of a sphere is V = pr3, so
(The solution is incorrect because (5r1)3 is not the same as 5r3 1.)
|
|||||
Home Newtonian Physics Scaling and Order-of-Magnitude Estimates Examples Scaling of the volume of a sphere |