Cylinder - Types - Properties - Vertices and More

Know All about Cylinders to Confront Complex Math Problems

Math has a lot to impart. Students are expected to learn all the lessons and sail through the problems. Yet, most of you fail to understand the lessons and refrain from doing the tasks. So, before you start getting stressed with the lesson on cylinders, here's detailed know-how on the subject. Learn about the types, properties, vertices and ways to calculate the volume of cylinders in the next few sections.

Introduction to Cylinder

The cylinder is a major chapter of geometry. So, before you jump into the calculations, here's a look into the meaning of cylinders. It is one of the basic 3D shapes in geometry with two parallel circular bases at a distance. A curved surface joins these two bases at a certain distance from the centre. There are two elements in cylinders, namely the axis and the height.

Axis: A line segment joins the centre of two circular bases of the cylinder. That line is called the axis.

Height: The distance between the two circular bases in the cylinder is termed the height of the cylinder.

Type of Cylinder

When you are learning a math chapter, it is necessary to know everything about it. Most students do not pay attention to their teachers and fail to solve complex math problems. It is important to relate to the subject for a better understanding. Cylinders are all around you. Some common examples of cylinders are pipes, fire extinguishers, water tanks, cold-drinks can, etc.

On that note, here’s a look into the various types of cylinder geometry. There are four main types of cylinders in geometry: right circular cylinder, oblique cylinder, right circular hollow cylinder, or cylindrical shell. Here's what each of these means:

Right circular cylinder: When the axis of the two parallel bases is perpendicularly connected to the centre of the base, the cylinder is called the right circular cylinder.
Oblique cylinder: If you have seen a picture of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, then you have already seen an oblique cylinder. In an oblique cylinder, the sides lean over the base and are not perpendicular to the centre of the base.
Elliptic cylinder: If the base of a cylinder is in the form of an ellipse, the cylinder is termed as an elliptic cylinder.
A right circular hollow cylinder or cylindrical shell:This type can be defined as a shape with two right circular cylinders bounded one inside the other. The axis point is common and is perpendicularly connected to the central base. Don’t confuse this with right circular cylinders, as this type is hollow in nature.

Volume of Cylinder

If you look at the examples of cylinders mentioned above, you will understand the need to calculate or know the volume. For example, a fire extinguisher has a limit and cannot hold a massive amount of extinguisher gas. One must know the capacity of the extinguisher before going in for the purchase.

So, to define the volume of a cylinder, you can say that it is the density of the cylinder to understand the amount of material it can carry or be immersed in it. If you look at math problems this way, things will be simple, and you can solve all problems without hassles.

For students who have started working on problems with cylinders, here's a look at the formula for calculating the volume of a cylinder:

You can ask your teacher for help with the formula and learn it well to produce flawless solutions to cylinder problems.

Properties of Cylinder

Like any other shape, cylinders also have some properties. Knowing them would help you understand the chapter well and solve complex questions without getting stressed. Here’s a look into the properties of a cylinder:

The bases are always parallel
If an axis forms a right angle with bases and if they are exactly over each other, then that can be called a “right cylinder”
A cylinder is similar to the prism as it has the same cross-section everywhere
In case the bases are not positioned exactly opposite but are placed sideways, the cylinder will be termed an "oblique cylinder"
If the bases are circular, then the cylinder is called a right circular cylinder
An elliptical cylinder is where the bases are in an elliptical shape

It is necessary also to know the surface areas of cylinders. You cannot say that you have learnt the lesson if you don’t know the surface area of cylinders. There are two main types of surface areas of cylinders, total surface area and curved surface area of cylinders. Here’s a look into the formula of these two terms:

Curved surface area of cylinders: The term is also known as lateral surface area. It can be defined as the space between the two parallel circular bases.
The total surface area of a cylinder: As the name suggests, the total surface area of a cylinder is the total area it occupies, including the bases.

Here’s a look into the formulas of curved surface area, total surface area and volume of a cylinder:

What are the Vertices, Faces and Edges?

Every solid shape has vertices, faces and edges. So, if you are new to these terms, here’s an insight into all of them:

Vertices: There's a point in every solid shape where two or more line segments or edges meet. Vertices are the points where the lines segment.
Edges:Each vertex (singular for vertices) joins each other at some point. Edges are the lines that join one vertex to another.
Faces:The flat surfaces of solid shapes are known as faces. You must understand it to identify different solid shapes for better understanding.

Here's an insight into these components concerning cylinders:

A cylinder has 0 vertices
A cylinder has 2 edges
A cylinder has 2 faces and 1 curved surface

To end with,

It is important to know each element of a cylinder before you work on solving the problems. Math problems can be easy once you know the lessons well. Students fail to understand the subject's significance and are not willing to work on the problems. It is essential to learn the lessons and work on the problems for a better future. This blog will give you a proper idea of cylinders and their elements. Learn them and sail through the problems easily.

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