Two plastic drainage pipes are each \(2\,\text{m}\) long. Pipe A has outside radius \(5\,\text{cm}\) and inside radius \(4\,\text{cm}\). Pipe B has outside radius \(10\,\text{cm}\) and inside radius \(9\,\text{cm}\).
a) Find the exact volume of plastic in each pipe.
b) Both walls are \(1\,\text{cm}\) thick. Explain why pipe B uses more plastic using the areas of its circular rings.
Hints
- Look at the pipe end. Which part of its circular cross-section is plastic?
- Can you find that area from the two given radii?
- Both pipes are equally long. How does the cross-section area affect the volume?
Solution
1. Convert the length to \(200\,\text{cm}\).
2. Pipe A's ring area is \(\pi(5^2-4^2)=9\pi\,\text{cm}^2\), giving volume \(9\pi\cdot200=1800\pi\,\text{cm}^3\).
3. Pipe B's ring area is \(\pi(10^2-9^2)=19\pi\,\text{cm}^2\), giving volume \(19\pi\cdot200=3800\pi\,\text{cm}^3\).
4. Both are equally long, but B's ring area is larger even though the walls have equal thickness.
Answer
a) Pipe A: \(1800\pi\,\text{cm}^3\); pipe B: \(3800\pi\,\text{cm}^3\).
b) B's ring area is \(19\pi\,\text{cm}^2\), compared with A's \(9\pi\,\text{cm}^2\), so B uses more plastic.