Sat, 02 May 2026 18:16:25 +0000

A cylindrical tank with a radius of 3 meters and a height of 10 meters is filled with water. If water is drained at a rate of 1.5 cubic meters per minute, how many minutes will it take to empty the tank?
This scenario reflects growing interest in water resource management and infrastructure efficiency across the U.S., particularly in communities dependent on large storage tanks for municipal, agricultural, or industrial use. With growing awareness of sustainability and operational cost reduction, understanding how long draining operations take supports better planning and resource allocation. The tank’s volume plays a key role in determining the timeline. Calculating the total capacity begins with its geometry—using the standard formula for the volume of a cylinder, V = πr²h. With a radius of 3 meters and height of 10 meters, the volume comes to approximately 282.74 cubic meters (using π ≈ 3.1416). At a steady drainage rate of 1.5 cubic meters per minute, the time required to fully empty the tank follows directly: dividing total volume by flow rate.
282.74 ÷ 1.5 ≈ 188.49 minutes.
This yields about 188.5 minutes of continuous draining. While not inherently sensational, this calculation captures attention in U.S. Discver sources where users explore practical engineering and infrastructure topics. Rising interest in smart water systems, emergency preparedness, and resource conservation fuels curiosity about how long everyday assets last under specific conditions. Seeing tangible data like this helps users visualize operational realities and support informed decision-making. To clarify common assumptions, consider:
- The tank is completely filled from the start.
- Water drains at a steady rate without interruptions.
- Environmental factors like heat, evaporation, or pressure differences are negligible in this basic model.
These simplifications align well with common public expectations while acknowledging real-world complexities exist.