Determination of Surface Area Using Profile Recordings

Abstract

INTRODUCTION CALCULATIONS of surface area of irregularly or asymmetrically shaped objects may involve complex measuring methods or mathematical computations. In those structures exhibiting symmetry, the procedure may be less complicated; for example, the total surface of a parallelepiped is equal to the summation of the areas of its sides. On the other hand, the surface area of objects has been reckoned using adhesive tape, weights of peelings, or by considering the surface as a function of the two-thirds power of the weight (Mueller and Scott, 1940). The surface area of avian eggs has been estimated in similar ways (Dunn and Schneider, 1923; Murray, 1925; Marshall and Cruickshank, 1938; and Romanoff and Romanoff, 1949), but the most useful and accurate methods have been based on the volume (Romanoff and Romanoff, 1949). However, if the object forms a surface of revolution, like an egg shell, it is possible to perform these measurements utilizing . . .