catenoid
Sign in to savethumb|right|alt=three-dimensional diagram of a catenoid|A catenoid thumb|right|alt=animation of a catenary sweeping out the shape of a catenoid as it rotates about a central point|A catenoid obtained from the rotation of a catenary
Article
6 sectionsContents
- Geometry
- Helicoid transformation
- The critical catenoid conjecture
- References
- Further reading
- External links
thumb|right|alt=three-dimensional diagram of a catenoid|A catenoid thumb|right|alt=animation of a catenary sweeping out the shape of a catenoid as it rotates about a central point|A catenoid obtained from the rotation of a catenary
In geometry, a catenoid is a type of surface, arising by rotating a catenary curve about an axis (a surface of revolution). It is a minimal surface, meaning that it occupies the least area when bounded by a closed space. It was formally described in 1744 by the mathematician Leonhard Euler.