What Is the Difference Between a Sphere and an Ellipsoid?
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Spheres
In your daily life, there are lots of objects around you shaped like spheres. Just think about a soccer ball, a baseball, a basketball, or a golf ball. A sphere is a figure that doesn’t have a single side, vertex, top or bottom.
Think About This
Can you picture any other objects that are shaped like spheres?
Examples of different objects that are shaped like spheres: A globe, a planet, a cannonball, an orange, and the top of a flagpole.
Ellipsoid
If you compare an ellipsoid to a sphere, you can recognize the ellipsoid as a sphere that has been stepped on.
Similar to the sphere, the ellipsoid doesn’t have any sides, vertices, bottom or top.
Think About This
Think about it. Do you know any objects that are shaped as ellipsoids?
Examples of different ellipsoids: A dinosaur egg, an ostrich egg, a football, and a rugby ball. Blimps and plane frames are also almost shaped like ellipsoids.
Math Vault
Want to solve exercises about spheres and ellipsoids? Try Math Vault!
