- #1
- 4,439
- 1,213
Every now and then I will ask someone why it is that water flows towards the equator. Usually they say: "Because it is downhill." Then I go on to explain to them that the Earth is bigger around at the equator, like slightly flattened out from an imaginary pressure on each pole. So technically it would be UPHILL since it is farther to center of the Earth at the equator than any other point on the planet. Now I don't really know if this is how 'uphill' is defined. Anyway, no one can ever answer why water goes towards the equator. I guess my reason is that centifugal (yeah I know, there's really no such thing ) force from the rotating planet causes the water to go towards the equator. Actually I'd say it also causes the Earth to be bigger around the middle too. So anyway, I pulled this on my nephew one time and we got into a discussion about how you actually define "UPHILL".
.
www.dictionary.com defines it as:
.
Adjective
1. Located on high or higher ground: an uphill mine entrance.
2. Going up a hill or slope: an uphill climb.
3. Marked by difficulty or strong resistance; laborious: an uphill election campaign against a popular incumbent.
.
#2 is TOTALLY lame because you can't use the word to define the word.
.
Adverb
1. To or toward higher ground; up a slope.
2. Against adversity; with difficulty: struggling uphill to make ends meet.
.
Noun
An upward slope or incline.
.
And then this:
adj 1: sloping upward [syn: acclivitous, rising] 2: hard to overcome or surmount; "a stiff hike"; "a stiff exam"; "an uphill battle against a popular incumbant" [syn: stiff] n : the upward slope of a hill adv 1: against difficulties; "she was talking uphill" 2: upward on a hill or incline; "this street lay uphill"
.
So anyway, I guess "UP" has to be defined first right? Sooooooo, I went to the same site and looked up "UP". Guess what?
.
Adverb
1. In or to a higher position: looking up.
2. In a direction opposite to the center of the Earth or a comparable gravitational center: up from the lunar surface.
.
#2 defines it as I defined it earlier in this post. So, water does indeed flow up hill to the equator. Gravitational center was not on the dictionary site. Not sure how that is to be defined, but in the case of our planet, I would think it would be the same point as the geographic center.
.
I know this thread probably seems pointless, but there are so many in GD these days.
.
Comments welcome!
.
www.dictionary.com defines it as:
.
Adjective
1. Located on high or higher ground: an uphill mine entrance.
2. Going up a hill or slope: an uphill climb.
3. Marked by difficulty or strong resistance; laborious: an uphill election campaign against a popular incumbent.
.
#2 is TOTALLY lame because you can't use the word to define the word.
.
Adverb
1. To or toward higher ground; up a slope.
2. Against adversity; with difficulty: struggling uphill to make ends meet.
.
Noun
An upward slope or incline.
.
And then this:
adj 1: sloping upward [syn: acclivitous, rising] 2: hard to overcome or surmount; "a stiff hike"; "a stiff exam"; "an uphill battle against a popular incumbant" [syn: stiff] n : the upward slope of a hill adv 1: against difficulties; "she was talking uphill" 2: upward on a hill or incline; "this street lay uphill"
.
So anyway, I guess "UP" has to be defined first right? Sooooooo, I went to the same site and looked up "UP". Guess what?
.
Adverb
1. In or to a higher position: looking up.
2. In a direction opposite to the center of the Earth or a comparable gravitational center: up from the lunar surface.
.
#2 defines it as I defined it earlier in this post. So, water does indeed flow up hill to the equator. Gravitational center was not on the dictionary site. Not sure how that is to be defined, but in the case of our planet, I would think it would be the same point as the geographic center.
.
I know this thread probably seems pointless, but there are so many in GD these days.
.
Comments welcome!