Nautilus shell related to Golden Ratio?

Question

I did the Golden Ratio as a project last year, now I'm doing a continuation of it. One part is getting me stuck though. I know the Nautilus shell is related to the Golden Ratio, and I've been searching the internet for it but I can't find the simple way of defining how that is. I don't need a huge algebra problem, just need a simple explaination.

If one of the spirals diameter is divided by the previous spiral diameter, it equals the Golden Ratio? Is that right?

I can't remember how I explained it. So can someone sum it up for me?

Answer 1

Go to this site and scroll down about a third of the way and there is a pretty good explanation with some diagrams and pics.  Hope this helps.

http://www.mcs.surrey.ac.uk/Personal/R.K...

Answer 2

The Nautilus is a cephalopod, a mollusk that pumps gas into its spiral chambered shell to adjust it buoyancy.

The ratio is of each spirals diameter to the next smaller spiral.

This ratio is called The Golden ratio, The Divine Proportion,

It is equal to PHI = 1.618

I read about this in Dan Brown's book, The DaVinci Code, pages 99-102.

You were right on!