Inverse Square Law

Inverse Square Law 

Similar to my post "Galileo Galilei Square Cube Law" is this quick entry will deal with a simple law: the Inverse Square Law. 

The Inverse Square Law states that energy measured from twice as far is spread over four times the area, and so on. The farther away from a point source of energy, the less its intensity. 

I = 1/Distance²

I = Intensity 

Distance = the radius of an imagined sphere around the point source

As you can see in my drawing, every arrow is one unit of distance. Square the unit and divide into one and you get the area. For example:

2 Distance² = 4

3 Distance² = 9

  4 Distance² = 16

This is similar to Galileo's Square Cube Law: if you take a cube and dice it into smaller cubes: the total volume stays the same, but the surface area keeps growing the more cubes you dice. The Inverse Square Law is definitely more intuitive.

With radiation, the farther away you are-the safer you are. Gravitational fields lessen in intensity. The same with electromagnetic fields.

My intensity never diminishes...unless there's catnip around.

Galileo Galilei Square Cube Law

Galileo Galilei Square Cube Law

Science is written in this great book: the Universe, which stands continually open to our gaze.

-Galileo

OK, I had to give my Geiger counter a break to recharge.

What we have here in my notebook is an awesome little thing Galileo wrote about: take a cube and dice it into smaller cubes: the total volume stays the same, but the surface area keeps growing the more cubes you dice. 

The volume of each little cube is 1/8 the big cube but is surface area is larger at 1/4 the big cube. Volume drops faster than surface area. Weight drops faster than surface area. Weight drops faster than aerodynamic drag (wind resistance). Thus dust floats.

It’s called Galileo’s “Square-Cube Law” and is found in his work “Two New Sciences”. I got my copy from a free book-bin at my local library. I guess they couldn’t find any takers for the .25cents they wanted at their booksale.

A1 = original surface area and A2 = new surface area.

V1 = original volume and V2 = new volume.

L1 = original length and L2 = new length.

Ugh, it was a short post but it got all mathy at the end. Meow.