A sphere of maximum volume is cut out from a solid hemisphere of radius $r$. The ratio of the volume of the hemisphere to that of the cut out sphere is :
Aptitude
Volume and Surface Area
Difficulty: Medium
Choose an option
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A3 : 2
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B4 : 1
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C4 : 3
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D7 : 4
Answer
Correct Answer: 4 : 1
Explanation
### Concept & Inscribed Sphere in Hemisphere
To fit a sphere of maximum volume inside a hemisphere of radius $r$, the sphere must sit perfectly within the height and width constraints. The maximum possible diameter of this sphere equals the radius of the hemisphere $r$.
Therefore, the radius of the new sphere is $r/2$.
Volume of hemisphere: $$V = \frac{2}{3}\pi r^3$$
Volume of sphere: $$V = \frac{4}{3}\pi R^3$$
### Step-by-Step Solution
1. The original solid is a hemisphere with radius $r$.
Its volume is $V_{hemi} = \frac{2}{3}\pi r^3$.
2. The largest sphere that can be carved out will have its diameter equal to the hemisphere's height (which is $r$).
So, the radius of this inscribed sphere is $R = \frac{r}{2}$.
3. Calculate the volume of this new sphere:
$V_{sphere} = \frac{4}{3}\pi (\frac{r}{2})^3 = \frac{4}{3}\pi (\frac{r^3}{8}) = \frac{1}{6}\pi r^3$.
4. Find the required ratio of the hemisphere's volume to the cut-out sphere's volume:
$\frac{V_{hemi}}{V_{sphere}} = \frac{\frac{2}{3}\pi r^3}{\frac{1}{6}\pi r^3}$.
5. Cancel out $\pi r^3$ and simplify the fraction:
$\frac{2/3}{1/6} = \frac{2}{3} \times \frac{6}{1} = \frac{12}{3} = 4$.
6. The ratio is $4 : 1$.
### Exam Strategy & Shortcut
Visualize the dimensions. A sphere inscribed in a hemisphere has half the radius. Because volume scales with the cube of the radius, halving the radius means the sphere's volume is $\frac{1}{8}$ of a *full* sphere of radius $r$. Since a hemisphere is half a full sphere, the ratio is $\frac{1/2}{1/8} = \frac{1}{2} \times 8 = 4$.
### Common Pitfall
Students often guess that the inscribed sphere has a radius of $r$ divided by $\sqrt{2}$ or make an error assuming it shares the same base area. Recognizing that the height $r$ strictly limits the diameter is key.
### Final Answer
Therefore, the correct answer is **4 : 1**.