sphere

Creates and plots a 3D unit sphere.

Syntax

sphere()

sphere(N)

sphere(hAxes, ...)

[x, y, z] = sphere(...)

Inputs

N
Number of horizontal and vertical segments. Default value is 20.
Type: integer
Dimension: scalar
hAxes
Axis handle.
Type: double
Dimension: scalar

Outputs

x, y, z
Sphere coordinates.

Examples

Default sphere:

figure();
sphere();
Figure 1. Default sphere with 20 segments


Plot a sphere with 10 segments:

figure();
sphere(10);
Figure 2. Sphere with 10 segments


Get the sphere coordinates without plotting the sphere:

[x, y, z] = sphere();
x = [Matrix] 9 x 9
0.00000e+00  0.00000e+00  0.00000e+00  -0.00000e+00  -0.00000e+00  -0.00000e+00  -0.00000e+00  0.00000e+00  0.00000e+00
3.82683e-01  2.70598e-01  2.34326e-17  -2.70598e-01  -3.82683e-01  -2.70598e-01  -7.02978e-17  2.70598e-01  3.82683e-01
7.07107e-01  5.00000e-01  4.32978e-17  -5.00000e-01  -7.07107e-01  -5.00000e-01  -1.29893e-16  5.00000e-01  7.07107e-01
9.23880e-01  6.53281e-01  5.65713e-17  -6.53281e-01  -9.23880e-01  -6.53281e-01  -1.69714e-16  6.53281e-01  9.23880e-01
1.00000e+00  7.07107e-01  6.12323e-17  -7.07107e-01  -1.00000e+00  -7.07107e-01  -1.83697e-16  7.07107e-01  1.00000e+00
9.23880e-01  6.53281e-01  5.65713e-17  -6.53281e-01  -9.23880e-01  -6.53281e-01  -1.69714e-16  6.53281e-01  9.23880e-01
7.07107e-01  5.00000e-01  4.32978e-17  -5.00000e-01  -7.07107e-01  -5.00000e-01  -1.29893e-16  5.00000e-01  7.07107e-01
3.82683e-01  2.70598e-01  2.34326e-17  -2.70598e-01  -3.82683e-01  -2.70598e-01  -7.02978e-17  2.70598e-01  3.82683e-01
1.22465e-16  8.65956e-17  7.49880e-33  -8.65956e-17  -1.22465e-16  -8.65956e-17  -2.24964e-32  8.65956e-17  1.22465e-16
y = [Matrix] 9 x 9
0.00000e+00  0.00000e+00  0.00000e+00  0.00000e+00  0.00000e+00  -0.00000e+00  -0.00000e+00  -0.00000e+00  -0.00000e+00
0.00000e+00  2.70598e-01  3.82683e-01  2.70598e-01  4.68652e-17  -2.70598e-01  -3.82683e-01  -2.70598e-01  -9.37304e-17
0.00000e+00  5.00000e-01  7.07107e-01  5.00000e-01  8.65956e-17  -5.00000e-01  -7.07107e-01  -5.00000e-01  -1.73191e-16
0.00000e+00  6.53281e-01  9.23880e-01  6.53281e-01  1.13143e-16  -6.53281e-01  -9.23880e-01  -6.53281e-01  -2.26285e-16
0.00000e+00  7.07107e-01  1.00000e+00  7.07107e-01  1.22465e-16  -7.07107e-01  -1.00000e+00  -7.07107e-01  -2.44929e-16
0.00000e+00  6.53281e-01  9.23880e-01  6.53281e-01  1.13143e-16  -6.53281e-01  -9.23880e-01  -6.53281e-01  -2.26285e-16
0.00000e+00  5.00000e-01  7.07107e-01  5.00000e-01  8.65956e-17  -5.00000e-01  -7.07107e-01  -5.00000e-01  -1.73191e-16
0.00000e+00  2.70598e-01  3.82683e-01  2.70598e-01  4.68652e-17  -2.70598e-01  -3.82683e-01  -2.70598e-01  -9.37304e-17
0.00000e+00  8.65956e-17  1.22465e-16  8.65956e-17  1.49976e-32  -8.65956e-17  -1.22465e-16  -8.65956e-17  -2.99952e-32
z = [Matrix] 9 x 9
-1.00000e+00  -1.00000e+00  -1.00000e+00  -1.00000e+00  -1.00000e+00  -1.00000e+00  -1.00000e+00  -1.00000e+00  -1.00000e+00
-9.23880e-01  -9.23880e-01  -9.23880e-01  -9.23880e-01  -9.23880e-01  -9.23880e-01  -9.23880e-01  -9.23880e-01  -9.23880e-01
-7.07107e-01  -7.07107e-01  -7.07107e-01  -7.07107e-01  -7.07107e-01  -7.07107e-01  -7.07107e-01  -7.07107e-01  -7.07107e-01
-3.82683e-01  -3.82683e-01  -3.82683e-01  -3.82683e-01  -3.82683e-01  -3.82683e-01  -3.82683e-01  -3.82683e-01  -3.82683e-01
6.12323e-17   6.12323e-17   6.12323e-17   6.12323e-17   6.12323e-17   6.12323e-17   6.12323e-17   6.12323e-17   6.12323e-17
3.82683e-01   3.82683e-01   3.82683e-01   3.82683e-01   3.82683e-01   3.82683e-01   3.82683e-01   3.82683e-01   3.82683e-01
7.07107e-01   7.07107e-01   7.07107e-01   7.07107e-01   7.07107e-01   7.07107e-01   7.07107e-01   7.07107e-01   7.07107e-01
9.23880e-01   9.23880e-01   9.23880e-01   9.23880e-01   9.23880e-01   9.23880e-01   9.23880e-01   9.23880e-01   9.23880e-01
1.00000e+00   1.00000e+00   1.00000e+00   1.00000e+00   1.00000e+00   1.00000e+00   1.00000e+00   1.00000e+00   1.00000e+00

Comments

If there is no axes, one will be created first. If the first argument is an axes handle, the sphere will be created in that axes.

With return values assigned, sphere will not plot the sphere. The sphere plot can be created with the command 'surf(x, y, z)'.