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Are triangles and hexagons the only shapes one can use to make a geodesic sphere?
Wiki User
∙ 14y ago
Geodesic basically means transferring a straight line to a curved space. It means that, somewhere in the sphere, there should be a straight line that goes around it, curved.
So, yeah, triangles are the only shapes that create those 'arches'.
Every opening in a (standard) geodesic dome building is a triangular opening, surrounded by 3 struts.
If you tried to use any shape other than a triangle (a square, pentagon, or hexagon), in a geodesic dome building, such an opening would be mechanically unstable.
One can find many hexagons and a few pentagons in a (standard) geodesic dome building -- but there are no hexagonal holes or pentagonal holes.
All the pentagons have 5 struts inside dividing them up into 5 triangles.
(the center of these pentagons is the only place 5 struts come together to a point).
All the hexagons have 6 struts inside dividing them up into 6 triangles.
In a few geodesic dome buildings, one can find a few squares -- but likewise, all the squares have 1 or 4 struts inside dividing them up into triangles.
The "C60 Bucky ball", named for R. Buckminster Fuller, is a truncated icosahedron (as mimicked by the common soccer ball) and has 32 faces with twelve pentagons and 20 hexagons.
All fullerene molecules, including C60 and carbon nanofibers, have exactly 12 pentagonal openings and many hexagonal openings, but no triangular openings.
(Such shapes are highly stable -- the forces between the carbon atoms in a fullerene act differently than the forces between mechanical struts in a building).
Other geodesic spheres, polyhedrons, of various faces are also possible but the triangular face is the type most commonly used in construction due to the inherent strength of the triangle.
Wiki User
∙ 14y ago
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Why do you use geodesic domes?
A geodesic domeis a spherical or partial-spherical shell structure or lattice shell based on a network of great circles(geodesics) on the surface of a sphere. The geodesics intersect to form triangular elements that have local triangular rigidity and also distribute the stress across the structure. When completed to form a complete sphere, it is a geodesic sphere. A dome is enclosed, unlike open geodesic structures such as playground climbers.Typically a geodesic dome design begins with an icosahedron inscribed in a hypothetical sphere, tiling each triangular face with smaller triangles, then projecting the vertices of each tile to the sphere. The endpoints of the links of the completed sphere are the projected endpoints on the sphere's surface. If this is done exactly, sub-triangle edge lengths take on many different values, requiring links of many sizes. To minimize this, simplifications are made. The result is a compromise of triangles with their vertices lying approximately on the sphere. The edges of the triangles form approximate geodesic paths over the surface of the dome.Geodesic designs can be used to form any curved, enclosed space. Standard designs tend to be used because unusual configurations may require complex, expensive custom design of each strut, vertex and panel.See the related link.
What is a real world example of a Geodesic dome?
The 'big ball' at Epcot in Orlando Florida, is a Geodesic sphere. The old dome-like playground equipment is based on the same structure as a geodesic dome. I've posted a couple of links about geodesic domes with some pictures.
What kind of structure is a geodesic dome?
A geodesic dome is a spherical or partial - spherical shell structure or lattice shell based on a network of great circles on the surface of a sphere.
What is name of a ball in shapes?
A ball is a sphere in shapes.
What are microscopic spheres of 60 atoms of pure carbon in a sphere like structure that resembles a geodesic dome?
Buckyballs
What is a geodesic dome?
A geodesic dome is a shell that is made of a lot of small triangles (typically) and is shaped like a sphere. (for more information on this, please go to the wikipedia article, thanks.)
What special geometric forms were used to make the geodesic domes?
The polyhedron, upon which most geodesic domes are based, is the icosahedron. The icosahedron has 20 equilateral triangle faces. By subdividing the icosahedron face into smaller triangles, then "pushing" the triangle vertices outward (to the surface of a circumscribing sphere,) a more-complex triangulated polyhedron can be produced -- a "geodesic" sphere, or dome. By subdividing the icosahedron face into greater-and-greater numbers of smaller-and-smaller triangles, more complex geodesic spheres/domes are produced.
Why do you use geodesic domes?
A geodesic domeis a spherical or partial-spherical shell structure or lattice shell based on a network of great circles(geodesics) on the surface of a sphere. The geodesics intersect to form triangular elements that have local triangular rigidity and also distribute the stress across the structure. When completed to form a complete sphere, it is a geodesic sphere. A dome is enclosed, unlike open geodesic structures such as playground climbers.Typically a geodesic dome design begins with an icosahedron inscribed in a hypothetical sphere, tiling each triangular face with smaller triangles, then projecting the vertices of each tile to the sphere. The endpoints of the links of the completed sphere are the projected endpoints on the sphere's surface. If this is done exactly, sub-triangle edge lengths take on many different values, requiring links of many sizes. To minimize this, simplifications are made. The result is a compromise of triangles with their vertices lying approximately on the sphere. The edges of the triangles form approximate geodesic paths over the surface of the dome.Geodesic designs can be used to form any curved, enclosed space. Standard designs tend to be used because unusual configurations may require complex, expensive custom design of each strut, vertex and panel.See the related link.
How many equilateral triangles in a geodesic dome?
The answer varies depending on the exact type of geodesic dome you are using. A 2 frequency and 4 frequency geodesic domes use 20 equilateral triangles despite the two-frequency having many more faces than the 2 frequency where the 3 frequency geodesic dome (150 sided) uses none at all. The above calculations, however, are only common to a certain architectural model. Assuming the domes are built mathematically instead of according to architectural integrity, the number of equilateral triangles in a "pure" dome, a geodesic sphere, is exactly equal to the number of faces, by definition.
What geometric shape is the Epcot ball?
geodesic dome
How many hexagons make a sphere?
15
What is the Epcot center ball scientific name?
It is called a geodesic sphere.
What shapes can you make by drawing the line segments?
triangles,squares,rectangles,rhombus',mostly every shape besides a circle/sphere
What is a real world example of a Geodesic dome?
The 'big ball' at Epcot in Orlando Florida, is a Geodesic sphere. The old dome-like playground equipment is based on the same structure as a geodesic dome. I've posted a couple of links about geodesic domes with some pictures.
Why is a sphere so strong?
A sphere is so strong because it is geodesic. It is strong because all the average strength are very strong.
What kind of structure is a geodesic dome?
A geodesic dome is a spherical or partial - spherical shell structure or lattice shell based on a network of great circles on the surface of a sphere.
In Geometry what does geodesic mean?
Geodesic means the science of measuring the size and shape of the Earth. A geodesics are straight line on a plane or a great circle arcs on a sphere, pertaining geodesy.
