Sphere
A sphere’s surface consists of points at a fixed distance from its center. Its volume grows with the cube of the radius, while surface area grows with the square.
Give your shape a size.
Use the same unit for every dimension. Changing the unit relabels the measurements; it does not convert them.
From dimensions to an answer
Know its properties
| Flat faces | None |
| Edges / vertices | None |
| Great-circle radius | Same as the sphere radius |
| Cross-sections | Circles, or a point at tangency |
Useful formulas
Volume: V = 4πr³ / 3
Surface area: S = 4πr²
Sphere: common questions
Wondering about the why? Start here.
How do I calculate a sphere’s volume and surface area?
For radius r, volume is 4πr³/3 and surface area is 4πr². Enter the radius, not the diameter. A sphere with radius 3 has volume 36π cubic units and surface area 36π square units.
Understand volume and surface areaWhat happens when a sphere’s radius doubles?
Its surface area becomes four times as large because area depends on r². Its volume becomes eight times as large because volume depends on r³. These scale factors apply when every length of a similar solid changes by the same factor.
Learn the scaling rules