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Cross Sectional Area

Definition

The cross sectional area refers to the area of a two-dimensional shape that is perpendicular to the direction of motion or flow.

Analogy

Imagine you have a water pipe. The cross sectional area would be like the size of the opening at any given point along the length of the pipe. Just like how a wider opening allows more water to flow through, a larger cross sectional area allows more particles or fluid to pass through.

Related terms

Volume: The amount of space occupied by an object or substance.

Flow Rate: The rate at which a fluid flows through a given area.

Surface Area: The total area of all the surfaces of an object.

"Cross Sectional Area" appears in:

Subjects (1)

collegeable - rocket pep

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AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.