What shape is the earth?
Mostly asked question:
It is often asked what shape the earth is. Round? Oval, egg-like, flat? how
As children, we saw in our school books that the earth is round. The term round is used for two-dimensional objects (i.e. objects that have no volume, such as a line or paper if its thickness is ignored). As such we can say that a circle is round. A three-dimensional object like a ball, a football, any volume is called a sphere.
So the earth is round. Why is it spherical? Due to gravity. Gravity pulls the Earth from all directions towards the center of the Earth, causing the Earth to become spherical over time. Stars and planets in the universe are also spherical due to graviTISis
IS THE EARTH SPHERICAL OR OVAL?:
But wait!! The earth is not perfectly spherical i.e. not like a ball it is perfectly spherical and equal on all sides. Rather, it is slightly elevated from the equator. If we draw an imaginary line from the north pole of the earth to the south pole that passes through the very center of the earth, this will be the diameter of the earth. We call it polar diameter and this diameter will be 12 thousand 714 km. However, if we draw a line from one side of the earth's equator to the other side, which passes through the center of the earth, i.e., crossing the earth, then this will also be the diameter of the earth. Call it the equatorial diameter and this diameter will be 12,756 km. As the equatorial diameter is only 42 km more than the polar diameter. This is because the Earth is slightly tilted at the equator. A difference of just 42 km in diameter over 12 thousand km is nothing. Look at it this way, if we measure a football that looks perfectly spherical with a sensitive measuring device, it will not be perfectly spherical, but it will also have a difference of nineteen twenty. Earth's bulge at the equator is so small compared to its diameter, it's like putting a layer of tape on the center of a football. Well, to see the earth as a spherical ball, you have to go at least 35 to 40 thousand kilometers into space, then you can see 43 to 44 percent of the earth. And from this distance, where will you see the rise on the equator of the earth? However, if you circle the earth while staying on the equator, you will have to cover a distance of 40,75 km. And if you come back to the North Pole by circling the Earth from the North Pole to the South Pole, you will have to cover a distance of 40,000 and 8 km, that is, 64 km less.
ROTATION AND SPEED OF EARTH:
The earth's equatorial bulge is actually due to the fact that the earth rotates on its axis and the speed of its rotation at the equator is greater than the speed of rotation at its poles. It happens with every rotating object that its
Speed is higher in the middle and lower at the ends.
Because each part of it has to complete one cycle at the same time. Therefore, the Earth will have to rotate faster at the equator than at the poles.
The rotational speed of the earth at the equator is about 1600 km per hour. While at the poles it is very less ie only 0.8 cm per hour.
Be happy, keep learning science
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