Question about the shape of the earth

Thread starter paulojomaje
Start date Sep 22, 2011
Tags

Earth Shape

In summary, the Earth is approximately spherical in shape with slight variations due to its rotation and gravitational pull. This has been known since ancient times, but is supported by satellite imagery and observations of lunar eclipses and disappearing ships. The Earth is not a perfect sphere, but an oblate spheroid due to its rotation causing a bulge at the equator. While the Earth's shape can change over time, these changes are gradual and not noticeable to the human eye. Even areas that may appear flat, such as deserts or plains, have small variations in shape due to natural features on the Earth's surface.

Sep 22, 2011

paulojomaje

Why is the Earth not perfectly round

Earth sciences news on Phys.org

Sep 22, 2011

phinds

Science Advisor

Insights Author

Gold Member

if you spin a ball that is not perfectly rigid, it bulges outward slightly at the spin equator. If it were made of jello, it would bulge out quite a lot.

Sep 22, 2011

TheMadMonk

The distribution of mass on Earth is not constant, altering the shape of the earth.

Sep 23, 2011

paulojomaje

Thanks.

Sep 30, 2011

Gannet

Suggest you checkout this link
http://www.lhup.edu/~dsimanek/scenario/centrip.htm"

Last edited by a moderator: May 5, 2017

1. What is the shape of the Earth?

The Earth is approximately spherical in shape, meaning it is round like a ball. However, it is not a perfect sphere and has slight variations in shape due to its rotation and gravitational pull.

2. How do we know the Earth is round?

Scientists have known that the Earth is round since ancient times. However, the most conclusive evidence comes from satellite imagery and measurements taken from space, which show the curvature of the Earth's surface. Additionally, observations of lunar eclipses and ships disappearing over the horizon also support the roundness of the Earth.

3. Is the Earth a perfect sphere?

No, the Earth is not a perfect sphere. Its equatorial diameter is slightly longer than its polar diameter, making it an oblate spheroid. This is due to the centrifugal force from the Earth's rotation, which causes it to bulge slightly at the equator.

4. Can the shape of the Earth change?

Yes, the shape of the Earth can change over time, but these changes are very gradual and not noticeable to the human eye. The Earth's shape is constantly changing due to factors such as tides, seismic activity, and plate tectonics. However, these changes are typically on the scale of millimeters or centimeters and do not significantly alter the overall shape of the Earth.

5. Are there any flat areas on the Earth's surface?

Yes, there are areas on the Earth's surface that may appear flat, such as deserts or plains. However, even on these seemingly flat surfaces, there are still small variations in the shape of the Earth. This is because the Earth's surface is not perfectly smooth and has natural features such as mountains, valleys, and ocean trenches.