The key difference between area and volume is: the area is the region covered by a 2d-shape whereas volume is the space occupied by a 3d shape.
There are many types of shapes and sizes in geometry. Every shape has different properties and formulas. The area and volume of different shapes vary from each other.
The terms ‘Area and Volume’ can create considerable confusion in understanding the terms. Although they seem to be of like a similar quantity of measurement, in reality, they are very much different from each other. Let us understand the underlying meaning of both terms.
What is Area?
The area is defined as the region covered by two-dimensional shapes. The area of different shapes depends on their dimensions. It is measured in square units.
The 2d shapes include circle, triangle, square, rectangle, parallelogram, pentagon, hexagon, etc. Hence, all these shapes have different areas.
What is Volume?
Volume is a parameter that is defined only for three-dimensional objects. For each three-dimensional shape, such as sphere, cube, cuboid, cylinder, cone, etc., the volume is different. It is measured in cubic units.
What is the difference between Area and Volume?
| Area | Volume |
| It is to be noted that area is always defined for two dimensions objects or plane figures | The volume is always defined for a three-dimensional object. |
| The area is the amount of space occupied by a two-dimensional flat object in a plane. | Volume is defined as the space occupied by a three-dimensional object. |
| The unit of area is in square units. | The unit of volume is in cubic units. |
| It is measured in 2 dimension | It is measured in 3 dimension |
| Examples: Square, circle, rectangle, etc. | Examples: sphere, cube, cylinder, etc. |
Difference of Area and Volume of Shapes
Let us see the areas of different shapes here:
| Name of the shape | Area |
| Circle | Πr2 (r = radius) |
| Semicircle | ½ πr2 (r = radius) |
| Triangle | ½ × base × height |
| Square | Side2 |
| Rectangle | Length × Width |
| Parallelogram | Base × Height |
| Rhombus | Side × Height |
| Trapezoid | ½ (Sum of parallel side) × height |
Let us find the volumes of different shapes here:
| Name of the shape | Volume |
| Cube | Side3 |
| Cuboid | Length × Width × Height |
| Sphere | (4/3)πr3 |
| Hemisphere | ⅔ (πr3) |
| Cylinder | πr2h |
| Cone | 1/3(πr2h) |
| Prism | Area of Base × Height |
Related Articles
- Difference between Area and Perimeter
- Difference Between Area and Surface Area
- Difference between Circle and Sphere
- Difference between Cube and Cuboid
- Difference Between Square & Rhombus
Solved Examples
Q.1: What is the area of a rectangle with length = 3 cm and width = 2cm?
Solution: Given,
length of rectangle = 3 cm
width = 2 cm
Area of rectangle = length x width = 3 x 2 = 6cm2.
Q.2: What is the volume of the cube if the edge length is 5 cm?
Solution: Given, edge length, a = 5 cm
Volume of cube = a3
Volume of cube = 53
= 5 x 5 x 5 = 125 cm3.
Frequently Asked Questions on the Difference between Area and Volume
What is meant by area and volume?
In the 2D plane, space occupied by the two-dimensional figure is called the area, whereas the space occupied by the figure in the 3D plane is called volume.
Give the measurement unit for area and volume.
The area is generally measured using the square units, whereas the volume is measured using the cubic units.
Can we say that the area and volume are the same?
No, area and volume are different. Because the area defines the measurement of 2D shapes, whereas the volume is used to measure the 3D shapes.
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