Problema Solution

The mass of a steel sphere varies directly as the cube of it's radius.

If the mass of a steel sphere of radius 2cm is 500g, find:

(i) the mass, in grams, of a sphere with 3cm radius

(ii) the radius, in cm, of a sphere of mass 1000g

Answer provided by our tutors

(i) the mass, in grams, of a sphere with 3 cm radius

Let 'm' represent the mass in grams, of a sphere with 3 cm radius.

500 : 2^3 = m : 3^3

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click here to see the equation solved for m

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m = 1,687.5 g

The mass of a sphere with radius 3 cm is 1,687.5 g.

(ii) the radius, in cm, of a sphere of mass 1000 g

Let 'r' represent the radius of a sphere of mass 1000 g.

500 : 2^3 = 1000 : r^3

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click here to see the equation solved for r

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r = 2.52 cm

The radius of s sphere of mass 1000 g is 2.52 cm.