Question about the shape of the earth

Thread starter paulojomaje
Start date Sep 22, 2011
Tags

Earth Shape

AI Thread Summary

The Earth is not a perfect sphere due to its rotation and the properties of its materials. Unlike a rigid ball, the Earth, being composed of various materials, exhibits a slight bulge at the equator due to centrifugal force from its spin. This bulging effect is more pronounced in less rigid materials, such as jello. Additionally, the uneven distribution of mass across the planet contributes to its irregular shape, resulting in a geoid form rather than a perfect sphere. The interplay of these factors explains why the Earth's shape deviates from a perfect roundness.

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

2024 Award

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

Thread 'Landslide, tsunami, seiche in Tracy Arm fjord, Alaska - 10 August 2025'

On August 10, 2025, there was a massive landslide on the eastern side of Tracy Arm fjord. Although some sources mention 1000 ft tsunami, that height represents the run-up on the sides of the fjord. Technically it was a seiche. Early View of Tracy Arm Landslide Features Tsunami-causing slide was largest in decade, earthquake center finds https://www.gi.alaska.edu/news/tsunami-causing-slide-was-largest-decade-earthquake-center-finds...

View full post »

Thread 'Could an external cosmic body have influenced Earth’s geology?'

Hello, I’m currently writing a series of essays on Pangaea, continental drift, and Earth’s geological cycles. While working on my research, I’ve come across some inconsistencies in the existing theories — for example, why the main pressure seems to have been concentrated in the northern polar regions. So I’m curious: is there any data or evidence suggesting that an external cosmic body (an asteroid, comet, or another massive object) could have influenced Earth’s geology in the distant...

View full post »

Thread 'Thwaites glacier instability'

https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2024JF008118 A recent paper on the attempts to estimate when and how massive the Thwaites breakup may be.

View full post »