 | ||
In geometry, a golden spiral is a logarithmic spiral whose growth factor is φ, the golden ratio. That is, a golden spiral gets wider (or further from its origin) by a factor of φ for every quarter turn it makes. A golden spiral with initial radius 1 has the following polar equation:
Contents
The polar equation for a golden spiral is the same as for other logarithmic spirals, but with a special value of the growth factor b:
or
with e being the base of natural logarithms, a being the initial radius of the spiral, and b such that when θ is a right angle (a quarter turn in either direction):
Therefore, b is given by
The numerical value of b depends on whether the right angle is measured as 90 degrees or as
An alternate formula for a logarithmic and golden spiral is:
where the constant c is given by:
which for the golden spiral gives c values of:
if θ is measured in degrees, and
if θ is measured in radians.
Approximations of the golden spiral
There are several similar spirals that approximate, but do not exactly equal, a golden spiral. These are often confused with the golden spiral.
For example, a golden spiral can be approximated by first starting with a rectangle for which the ratio between its length and width is the golden ratio. This rectangle can then be partitioned into a square and a similar rectangle and the rectangle can then be split in the same way. After continuing this process for an arbitrary amount of steps, the result will be an almost complete partitioning of the rectangle into squares. The corners of these squares can be connected by quarter-circles. The result, though not a true logarithmic spiral, approximates a golden spiral (See the first image).
Another approximation is a Fibonacci spiral, which is constructed slightly differently. A Fibonacci spiral starts with a rectangle partitioned into 2 squares. In each step, a square the length of the rectangle's longest side is added to the rectangle. Since the ratio between consecutive Fibonacci numbers approaches the golden ratio as the Fibonacci numbers approach infinity, so too does this spiral get more similar to the previous approximation the more squares are added, as illustrated by the second image.
Distinguishing property
With respect to logarithmic spirals the golden spiral has the distinguishing property that for four collinear spiral points A, B, C, D belonging to arguments θ, θ+π, θ+2π, θ+3π the point C is the projective harmonic conjugate of B with respect to A, D, i.e. the cross ratio (A,D;B,C) has the singular value -1. The golden spiral is the only logarithmic spiral with (A,D;B,C)=(A,D;C,B).
Spirals in nature
Approximate logarithmic spirals can occur in nature (for example, the arms of spiral galaxies or phyllotaxis of leaves); golden spirals are one special case of these logarithmic spirals. A recent analysis of spirals observed in mouse corneal epithelial cells indicated that some can be characterized by the golden spiral, and some by other spirals. It is sometimes stated that spiral galaxies and nautilus shells get wider in the pattern of a golden spiral, and hence are related to both φ and the Fibonacci series. In truth, spiral galaxies and nautilus shells (and many mollusk shells) exhibit logarithmic spiral growth, but at a variety of angles usually distinctly different from that of the golden spiral. This pattern allows the organism to grow without changing shape.