A sweets shop sells candies in 2 different styles: a spherical ball and a dome. The dome-like shape is a spherical section of a larger sphere with height and base radius as shown above, while the candy ball has radius with .
If both shapes have the same total surface area, what is the ratio ?
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From the question, it is obvious that the total surface area of a pink candy ball = 4 π r 2 .
For the blue dome, the total surface area = the base area + the spherical section area
Then the base area = 4 π R 2 .
Now in order to calculate the spherical section area, we need to find out the radius of the original full sphere, S :
By using Pythagorean theorem, S 2 = ( S − h ) 2 + R 2 .
Thus, 2 S h = h 2 + R 2 .
Hence, S = 2 h h 2 + R 2 .
Now according to Archimedes' Hat-Box Theorem , any spherical section from spherical radius R and of height h will have its lateral surface area equal to the lateral surface area of a cylinder of radius R and height h :
That is, the spherical section area = 2 π S h = π ( 2 h ) 2 h h 2 + R 2 = π ( h 2 + R 2 )
Therefore, the total surface area of a blue dome = π R 2 + π ( h 2 + R 2 ) = π ( 2 R 2 + h 2 ).
Setting up equation with 2 r = R + h :
4 π r 2 = π ( 2 r ) 2 = π ( R + h ) 2 = π ( 2 R 2 + h 2 ).
2 R h = R 2
R = 2 h .
As a result, the ratio h R = 2 .