Why Earth is Bulged at the Equator

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the question of why the Earth is bulged at the equator, with a specific request to avoid explanations involving centrifugal force. Participants explore various perspectives and reasoning related to this phenomenon, touching on concepts of inertia and gravitational forces.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Exploratory

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that Newton's First Law, which states that objects in motion tend to keep moving in a straight line, could explain the bulge at the equator due to inertia.
  • Others argue that avoiding the term "centrifugal force" does not eliminate the underlying concept, as inertia is closely related to it.
  • A participant expresses confusion about explaining the bulge without referencing the forces involved, questioning if an alternative explanation is expected.
  • One participant proposes that the distance from the axis to the equator requires more centripetal force, which they believe is provided by gravitational force, leading to an accumulation of particles at the equator.
  • Another participant counters that gravitational force is actually less at the equator than at the poles and emphasizes that gravity does not act in the direction of the equator.
  • There is a suggestion to consider drawing a force diagram to better understand the forces acting on the particles.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the explanation for the Earth's equatorial bulge. Multiple competing views remain, particularly regarding the roles of inertia, gravitational force, and the appropriateness of using centrifugal force in the explanation.

Contextual Notes

Some limitations in the discussion include the challenge of defining terms like "centrifugal force" and the varying interpretations of gravitational effects at different latitudes. The request to avoid certain explanations adds complexity to the discourse.

Himal kharel
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Why is Earth bulged at equator ?
Please don't explain in terms of centrifugal force
 
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How about Newton's First Law? Objects in motion tend to keep moving in a straight line, so the part of the Earth that is at the equator has a tendency to keep moving straight, rather than in a circle, causing an outward bulge.
 
That explanation has been forbidden by the OP. I don't know, how to answer the question, when I'm forbidden to answer the way it is. So I don't answer at all!:devil:
 
The explanation given above does not mention centrifugal force -- it correctly describes the effect in terms of inertia!
 
Himal kharel said:
Why is Earth bulged at equator ?
Please don't explain in terms of centrifugal force

I'm confused here. A is the cause of B, and you want us to explain B without referring to A...ummm...so you want us to make up an explanation? Something involving supernatural beings?
 
olivermsun said:
The explanation given above does not mention centrifugal force -- it correctly describes the effect in terms of inertia!

That's the same thing; he merely avoided the term that the OP didn't want to hear. :wink:
However, perhaps the OP simply doesn't want to hear about fictive centrifugal force. In that case all replies are conform. :smile:
 
vanhees71 said:
That explanation has been forbidden by the OP. I don't know, how to answer the question, when I'm forbidden to answer the way it is. So I don't answer at all!:devil:

as the distance from axis to the equator is more, The particles require more centripetal force which is to be provided by gravitational force . more gravitational force means
more particles must accumulate at equator.

I THINK THIS IS THE REASON.
 
Himal kharel said:
as the distance from axis to the equator is more, The particles require more centripetal force which is to be provided by gravitational force . more gravitational force means
more particles must accumulate at equator.

I THINK THIS IS THE REASON.
I'm afraid it isn't. The gravitational force is actually less at the equator than it is at the poles, and the gravitational force does not act in the direction of the equator.

Also, gravity is not the only force acting on the particles. Have you tried drawing a force diagram?
 
Why don't you want an explanation in terms of Centrifugal force?
 
  • #10
Why a nuclear plant produces energy ?
Please don't explain it in terms of E=mc2
?
 

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