You are on page 1of 4

Steradian

A graphical representation of 1 steradian. The sphere has radius r, and in this case the area of the patch on the surface is A = r2. The solid angle is = A/r2 so in this case = 1. The entire sphere has a solid angle of 4 sr 12.56637 sr. The steradian (symbol: sr) is the SI unit of solid angle. It is used to describe two-dimensional angular spans in three-dimensional space, analogous to the way in which the radian describes angles in a plane. The name is derived from the Greek stereos for "solid" and the Latin radius for "ray, beam". The steradian, like the radian, is dimensionless because 1 sr = m2m2 = 1. It is useful, however, to distinguish between dimensionless quantities of different nature, so in practice the symbol "sr" is used where appropriate, rather than the derived unit "1" or no unit at all. For example, radiant intensity can be measured in watts per steradian (Wsr1). The steradian was formerly an SI supplementary unit, but this category was abolished from the SI in 1995 and the steradian is now considered an SI derived unit.

Definition

Section of cone (1) and spherical cap (2) inside a sphere

A steradian can be defined as the solid angle subtended at the center of a unit sphere by a unit area on its surface. For a general sphere of radius r, any portion of its surface with area A = r2 subtends one steradian.[1] Since A = r2, it corresponds to the area of a spherical cap (A = 2rh) (wherein h stands for the "height" of the cap), and the relationship h/r = 1/(2) holds. Therefore one steradian corresponds to the plane (i.e. radian) angle of the cross-section of a simple cone subtending the plane angle 2, with given by:

This angle corresponds to the plane aperture angle of 2 1.144 rad or 65.54. Because the surface area of a sphere is 4r2, the definition implies that a sphere measures 4 12.56637 steradians. By the same argument, the maximum solid angle that can be subtended at any point is 4 sr. A steradian can also be called a squared radian. A steradian is also equal to the spherical area of a polygon having an angle excess of 1 radian, to 1/(4) of a complete sphere, or to (180/)2 3282.80635 square degrees. The solid angle in steradians of a cone whose cross-section subtends the angle = 2 ( shown in the image) is:

More intuitively expressed as a "surface area" of the cone's angle:

For small angles when is in radians:

Analogue to radians
In two dimensions, the angle in radians is related to the arc length it cuts out:

where l is arc length, and r is the radius of the circle. Now in three dimensions, the solid angle in steradians is related to the area it cuts out:

where S is the surface area, and r is the radius of the sphere.

SI multiples
Steradians only go up to 4 12.56637, so the large multiples are not usable for the base unit, but could show up in such things as rate of coverage of solid angle, for example.

Solid angle of various areas relative to Earth Multiple Name Symbol May be visualized as... Surface area of the Americas plus liquid water on Earth, 101 decasteradian dasr relative to Earth (cyan on map)[2] Area of Oceania plus Asia excluding Russia, relative to Earth 100 sr steradian (yellow on map)[3] 101 decisteradian dsr Area of Algeria plus Libya, relative to Earth (green on map)[4] 102 centisteradian csr Area of Zimbabwe, relative to Earth (blue on map)[5]

103 106 109 1012 1015 1018 1021 1024

millisteradian msr microsteradian sr nanosteradian nsr picosteradian psr femtosteradian fsr attosteradian asr zeptosteradian zsr yoctosteradian ysr

Area of Switzerland, relative to Earth (red on map)[6] Area of Costa Mesa, California, relative to Earth[7] About 8 American football fields, relative to Earth Area of a small apartment, relative to Earth Area of a sheet of A5 paper, relative to Earth Area of a quarter-inch square, relative to Earth Cross-sectional area of 32 gauge wire, relative to Earth Surface area of a red blood cell, relative to Earth

The simplest definition of success, "When Your Signature becomes your Autograph

You might also like