Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
A conical tank refers to a container shaped like an upside-down cone, often used in real-life situations such as storing liquids or grains. The volume varies with height due to its shape.
Volume refers to how much space an object occupies in three dimensions. For conical tanks, it represents the amount of liquid or material it can hold at various heights.
Surface area measures the total area covered by all sides (including base) of an object. When determining surface areas for conical tanks, we consider both curved and flat surfaces.
Similarity: Two objects are said to be similar if they have the same shape but may differ in size. When dealing with conical tanks, similarity allows us to compare different-sized tanks that have identical proportions.