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Surface Area To Volume (Cell) Calculator

Work out surface area to volume (cell) instantly with clear inputs, formula shown and shareable results.

About Surface Area To Volume (Cell) Calculator

Calculates surface area and volume for the chosen cell geometry and divides them, the ratio that limits how large a cell can grow.

Formula

Surface area to volume

Sphere: A = 4(pi)r^2, V = (4/3)(pi)r^3, so A/V = 3/r. Cube: A = 6s^2, V = s^3, so A/V = 6/s

Worked example

With the default values below, Surface Area To Volume (Cell) Calculator returns Surface area to volume ratio of 0.6000. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Cell shapeone of Sphere, Cube, Cylinder (height equals diameter)
Sphere
Diameter or side lengthaccepts 0.1–1,000 microns
10 microns

Results

Surface area to volume ratio
0.6000 per micron
Surface area
314.159 microns2
Volume
523.599 microns3
Ratio if the cell halved in size
1.2000 per micron

Step by step

  1. 1Values used
  2. 2Surface area to volume
  3. 3Surface area to volume ratio= 0.6000 per micron
  4. 4Surface area= 314.159 microns2
  5. 5Volume= 523.599 microns3
  6. 6Ratio if the cell halved in size= 1.2000 per micron

Assumptions and limits

  • The result is derived only from the 2 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
  • In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
  • Figures are rounded for display to 4 decimal places, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does the ratio limit cell size?

Exchange happens across the surface while demand scales with volume, so large cells cannot supply their interior by diffusion.

How do cells get around it?

Flattened or elongated shapes, microvilli, internal membranes and cytoplasmic streaming all raise effective exchange.

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Surface Area To Volume (Cell) Calculator | Calcrivo