Sphere Surface Area Calculator

About this calculator

This calculator finds a sphere's surface area, A = 4·π·r², and its volume, V = (4/3)·π·r³, from a single measurement — the radius r — using formulas derived from integral calculus applied to a circle rotated through 360°. Surface area tells you how much material would be needed to coat or wrap the sphere, while volume tells you how much it can hold or how much space it displaces.

Engineers use these formulas to size spherical tanks and pressure vessels, estimate the material needed for coatings or paint on ball-shaped components, and calculate buoyancy for spherical floats or balloons; manufacturers use them for anything from ball bearings to sporting goods. Geometry and physics students verifying textbook problems, and hobbyists figuring out how much paint or fabric a ball-shaped project needs, use this calculator just as often.