Cross-sectional area

The area of the face exposed by a cut perpendicular to a material’s length.

The area of the face exposed by cutting across a material, perpendicular to its length. For hollow stock, only the metal is included.

The area of that end face is its cross-sectional area. For stock with a constant section, this area stays the same along its length.

The area of a face exposed by a cut through a material. For a rod, this usually means a cut perpendicular to its length.

Convert all dimensions to the same unit before calculating. Give cross-sectional area in square units, such as mm², and volume in cubic units, such as mm³.

Link a design change to the force involved: a deeper section resists bending, while a larger cross-sectional area spreads a pulling force over more metal.

The area of material visible in a cut made across a component, perpendicular to its length. For a tube, this includes the metal wall, not the hollow space.

A cross-section is the shape seen when a component is cut across its length. Its cross-sectional area is the amount of metal in that cut.

The area exposed by an imaginary cut across a component, perpendicular to its length.

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Edexcel GCSE Design and Technology · 1DT0

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Eduqas GCSE Design and Technology · C600