What is the Difference Between Volume and Surface Area?
Volume and surface area are two related concepts in the study of mathematics. They’re both important to understand, but equally important is understanding how they differ and what they mean. This is especially the case when it comes to computing the volume and surface areas of a prism or a cylinder. If you think of wrapping a present in a box, you can get a good sense of how volume and surface area differ. First, you have to consider the size of the box, when you consider the size of the present. How much interior space does your box need to have so a present will fit? The measurement of the box’s capacity, how much it will hold, is its volume. Next you have to wrap the present. The amount of wrapping paper, which will cover the exterior of the box, is a very different calculation than the capacity of the box. You’ll need a separate measurement or some good guessing, to figure out the sum of the sides of all the surfaces or the surface area. Volume of a square or rectangular box is pre
Volume involves the three dimensional space which a three dimensional object takes up. Length x width x height, or (area of base) x height. Surface area is the two dimensional area taken up by a two dimensional object or the exposed area of any three dimensional object. A flat square with 2in sides would have a surface area of (2in) x (2in) = 4 inches squared. A three dimensional cube with sides of 2in would have a volume of (2in) x (2in) x (2in) = 8 inches cubed. Area is measured in units squared and volume in units cubed.
