Volume of Right Circular Cylinder
Theorem
The volume $V_C$ of a right circular cylinder whose bases are circles of radius $r$ and whose height is $h$ is given by the formula:
- $V_C = \pi r^2 h$
Proof 1
Consider a right circular cylinder $C$ whose base is a circle of radius $r$ and whose height is $h$.
Let $V_C$ denote the volume of $C$.
From Volume of Cylinder in terms of Height and Base Area:
- $V_C = A h$
where $A$ is the area of the base of $C$.
From Area of Circle, the area of each base is:
- $A = \pi r^2$
Hence:
- $V_C = \pi r^2 h$
$\blacksquare$
Proof 2
Consider a right circular cylinder $C$ whose base is a circle of radius $r$ and whose height is $h$.
Consider a cuboid $K$ whose height is $h$ and whose base has the same area as the base of $C$.
Let the area of those bases be $A$.
Let $C$ be positioned with its base in the same plane as the base of $K$.
By Cavalieri's Principle $C$ and $K$ have the same volume.
The bases of $C$ are circles of radius $r$.
From Area of Circle, the area of each base therefore gives:
- $A = \pi r^2$
From Volume of Cuboid, $K$ has volume given by:
- $V_K = A h = \pi r^2 h$
Hence the result.
$\blacksquare$
Sources
- 1968: Murray R. Spiegel: Mathematical Handbook of Formulas and Tables ... (previous) ... (next): $\S 4$: Geometric Formulas: Right Circular Cylinder of Radius $r$ and Height $h$: $4.31$
- 2009: Murray R. Spiegel, Seymour Lipschutz and John Liu: Mathematical Handbook of Formulas and Tables (3rd ed.) ... (previous) ... (next): $\S 7$: Geometric Formulas: Right Circular Cylinder of Radius $r$ and Height $h$: $7.31.$