Circle and Sphere

Some fundamental differences separate the circle and sphere in multiple ways. In this article, you will understand both the terms and thus, can differentiate the circle from the sphere.

Table of Content

When drawing both circles and spheres on a piece of paper, an individual will find both images the same because them being round in shape. But in reality, there are multiple differences between circle and sphere.

When it comes to the main difference between a circle and a sphere, let us inform you that a circle is a two-dimensional geometrical figure. In contrast, a sphere is a three-dimensional geometrical object. Now that you know the basic difference between these two figures, you can easily derive the other differences using the definition of both circle and sphere.

Circle

A circle is a collection of points at an equal distance from the given point known as the ‘centre of the circle’. Although it is a two-dimensional geometrical figure, the area and circumference can be easily calculated.

Formulas of a circle

Now that a circle is a 2-dimensional figure, it is possible to calculate area and circumference, also known as the perimeter of the same figure.

Area of circle: The area of a circle is defined as a region bounded by the circle’s boundary. Here is the formula used to calculate the area of a circle

Area of a Circle = π × r2

Circumference of the circle: Circumference, also known as the circle’s perimeter, is the length of the boundary forming a circle. Here is the formula used to calculate the circumference of the circle

Circumference of a Circle = 2π r

Sphere

A sphere is round in shape and defined in the three-dimensional space or axes- x-axis, y-axis, and z-axis. A sphere is a geometrical figure having no edges or vertices. Also, it is impossible to calculate the sphere’s area and circumference. Instead, surface area and volume are calculated.

Formulas of Sphere

Surface Area of the sphere: It is defined as the total region that is covered by the surface in a three-dimensional space of sphere. Here is the formula to calculate the surface area of the sphere

Surface Area of Sphere = 4πr2

The volume of a Sphere is defined as the total amount of space occupied by the three-dimensional object. Here is the formula for calculating the volume of a sphere

The volume of Sphere = 4/3πr3

Observing the difference between a circle and a sphere

After observing the definitions of a circle and a sphere, it can be concluded that both these geometrical figures are different from each other.

On the one hand, a circle is a two-dimensional figure, and on the other hand, a sphere is a three-dimensional object
A circle has edges and vertices, but a sphere does not have edges and vertices
Most importantly, the area and circumference of a circle are calculated. But in the case of a sphere, surface area and volume are calculated

Explaining the difference between a circle and a sphere in the tabular form

Following mentioned is the difference between a circle and a sphere in the tabular form:

Basis of Differentiation	Circle	Sphere
Definition	A circle is a geometrical figure enclosed by a curved line, and all points lying on its boundary are at an equal distance from the center.	A sphere is a round object, and all points lying on its boundary are at an equal distance from the center.
Dimension	It is a two-dimensional figure.	It is a three-dimensional object.
Determination	When it comes to the circle, its area and circumference are determined.	The sphere’s surface area and volume are determined when it comes to the sphere.
Area/ surface area	The mathematical formula used to calculate the area of a circle is π × r2	The formula for calculating the surface area of a sphere is 4πr2
Circumference	The mathematical formula used to calculate the circumference of a circle is 2π r	There is no circumference of the sphere.
Volume	There is no volume of the circle.	The mathematical formula used to calculate the volume of a sphere is 4/3πr^3
Standard Equation	(x-a)2 + (y-b)2 = r2. Here (a,b) is the center of the circle and r represents its radius.	(x-a)2 + (y-b)2 + (z-c)2 = r2. Here (a,b,c) is the center of the sphere and r represents its radius.
Consideration	When it comes to consideration, a circle is considered a figure.	When it comes to consideration, a sphere is considered an object.
Examples	Examples of the circle are dishes, coins, tires, etc.	Examples of the sphere are football, oranges, globe, etc.

Conclusion

Now that both circle and sphere are round in shape, it can become much more difficult to differentiate them. On the one hand, a circle is defined as the collection of points equidistant from its centre. On the other hand, Sphere is also defined as the collection of points lying at an equal distance from its centre. But a circle is considered as a two-dimensional figure and a sphere as a three-dimensional object. To know more about the difference between circle and sphere, it is better to go through the abovementioned article.