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| Science & Technology |
| The true, most accurate model of Earth''s shape |
| 2025-11-17 |
Text: The geoid is the true, most accurate model of Earth's shape, accounting not only for its rotation but also for the distribution of masses inside the planet, making the surface slightly uneven and deviating from a perfect sphere. Unlike a school globe, which depicts Earth as an ideal ball, the geoid resembles a slightly flattened at the poles and bulging at the equator potato, with height variations up to 100 meters due to gravitational anomalies. This shape arises from the centrifugal force of Earth's rotation, which "inflates" the equator by an additional 21 kilometers compared to the polar diameter. Interestingly, the geoid is used in GPS navigation and geodesy to precisely measure elevations above sea level, as oceans follow this "uneven" surface. Imagine: if you shrank Earth to the size of a basketball, the geoid's irregularities would be smaller than the roughness on an orange's skin, yet they still impact our daily lives! |
| Posted by:badanov |
| #2 |
| Posted by: SteveS 2025-11-17 10:07 |
| #1 |
| Posted by: ed in texas 2025-11-17 09:51 |