Dimensions: A Very Confusing & Basic Explanation

I am sure we all know what 2D AND 3D mean from tv. When you go to the cinema, many films will be shown in 3D. But what does this mean? For this post i will only be talking about the first four, even if we dont know if there is a fourth, we can theorize it.

Dimensions are determined by the co-ordinates needed to identify a point on the shape. So in a one dimensional shape (a line), you only need to state one number to find a specific place on the line.

So for a 2D shape (a square), you need two numbers, 3D = 3 points. You get the idea.

So what is the fourth dimension? Its hard to picture, just as a hypothetical 2 dimension being would find it hard to picture the third dimensional world we live in. So to explain lets start with a line. this line has a length, therefore making it one dimensional. Then to get to the next dimension, we add a width, so now we have a square. Adding depth gives us a cube. so to get to the next dimension, we'd have to out 'out' somehow. It is hard to picture this, so ill explain what a 4D shape would look like to us, 3D humans.

If you imagine you are a line, you see in one dimension. So all you will physically see is a dot. There is no depth to your vision or other form of shape.

Now imagine you are a square. You'll only be able to in 2 dimensions. So you would see a series of lines.

A cube. Would see, well, what we always see. Length, width, and depth.

Now a Tesseract. A cube in the fourth dimension. I cant say what it would look like in the fourth dimension. But if we were still in a 3D world as we are now, what would a 4D shape look like. So a 4D sphere. It would begin with an empty space, then, as it begins to pass through our dimension, we would see at first, a small sphere. As it comes more into our world, the sphere would grow bigger. The point where the the sphere is biggest in our world is when it has reached the diameter. From there is begins to shrink again untill it is no longer seen. This is when it has completely passed that point in space.

Okay yes that is soooo confusing. Above i put the full film, Flatland, based of a novel which looked into the geometrical dimensions. I would recommend, if you want a really good understanding, to watch it.

Righty o then, Till next time,

Sabrina :)

#dimensions #math