If you know the diameter of an asteroid, how do you find the volume?
2007-12-05 07:16:28 · 6 answers · asked by Miss Realistic 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Assume that the asteroid is spherical, and apply the formula
V = 4/3 π r^3
... where r is the radius, or half the diameter.
2007-12-05 07:21:56 · answer #1 · answered by Keith P 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It depends on the shape of the asteroid. If it is a perfect sphere then the volume is 4/3 * PI * (diamter/2)*(diameter/2)*(diameter/2).
If it has another shape then it can be modeled by thinking of it as an asteroid made up by several smaller asteroids of simple shapes. In other words, "breaking" it up into smaller shapes, each with their own volume. Then you would add all of the volumes together to get the total volume.
Another method would be to calculate its density and if you knew its mass ( which you could tell by the amount of gravity it has) then you can calculate the volume using the formula density = mass/ volume.
2007-12-05 07:27:14 · answer #2 · answered by silversides27 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Asteroids are higly unlikely to be spherical. There are a couple of big ones that are, but by and large they are too small for gravity to shape them into a sphere. One thing they are not going to look like is that asteroid in the movie "Armageddon". Everything about that flick had me howling in laughter. Asteroids are likely to be rounded by 4 billion years of micrometeor impacts, with lots of pockmarks caused by slightly larger impacts.
2007-12-05 07:33:24 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can only estimate it assuming that the asteroid is a sphere. The formula is 4/3*pi*r^3
2007-12-05 07:22:39 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
you may divide the given quantity by utilising 4/3 pi, with the intention to isolate the r^3. Then take the cubic root of that huge type and that answer is your radius. Then double that huge type to get your diameter
2016-12-10 13:33:02 · answer #5 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
These are all very good answers, but if the asteroid is not spherical, just take the 'diameter', cube it, and divide by about 2.
2007-12-05 08:50:37 · answer #6 · answered by za 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋