The equatorial radius of the earth and the zeroorder undulation of. This pudgy basketball shape comes from a combination of earth s gravity and its rotation. Its value ranges from 6,378 km 3,963 mi at the equator to 6,357 km 3,950 mi at a pole. A diagram of the centers is shown below for reference. The radius of the earth at the equator is approximately 4000 miles. This was computed for a mathematical ellipse of radius about 1 and eccentricity of 0. Another way to do this, though essentially the same, is to use velocity distancetime. The radius is more like 6,371 kilometers at the north and south poles. Parallel lines are numbered up to pi2 to the north and to the south. The earth s mean radius is determined as the average distance from the physical center to the surface, based on a large number of samples.
This equation, wgs84 earth equatorial radius meters, is used in 14 pages show calculators earth calc by kurtheckman. Eratosthenes was measuring the polar radius, and his value using the 0. The answer will be only approximate, but thats a lot better than nothing. The earth has a radius of 6380 km and turns around once on its axis in 24 h. This site is maintained by the planetary science communications team at nasas jet propulsion laboratory and goddard space flight center for nasas science mission directorate. What is the speed of a person standing on the equator, due to the earths rotation. Because of this, the diameter of the earth at the equator is about 43 kilometers 27 mi larger than the poletopole diameter. This is roughly 6,371 kilometers km or 3,960 statute miles. Since the earth is flattened at the poles and bulges at the equator, geodesy represents the shape of the earth with an oblate spheroid. An arc of 1 degree on earths surface is equal to how many. What is the magnitude of the centripetal acceleration of an.
How to calculate the earths radius at a given latitude. This representation of the coriolis parameter bears the name of equatorial betaplane. As it spins, earth flattens just a bit, making diameter at the equator 42. It is because the sun remains almost directly overhead everyday. The equator is the imaginary circle, which cuts the spherical earth exactly in the middle, i. If the flight path is a negligible height above the equator, give the number of hours of flight.
The distance around the earth at the equator, its circumference, is 40,075 kilometers 24,901 miles. In other words, if you could drive your car around the equator of the earth yes. The value, symbolized r earth, is equal to approximately 6,371,000 meter s 6. The earth is almost, but not quite, a perfect sphere. The centripetal acceleration is directed along the radius towards the center of the circle and the value of the magnitude is equal to the square of the tangential velocity divided by the radius of. The equator is the only line on the earths surface that is considered a great circle. An equator divides the planet into a northern hemisphere and a southern hemisphere. This representation of the coriolis parameter bears the name of equatorial betaplane approximation. It consists of very energetic protons, a byproduct of collisions by cosmic ray ions with atoms of the.
This nonspherical nature of the earth means that the gravitational field and thus the real weight would be different at the pole vs. Its value ranges from 6,378 km 3,963 mi at the equator to 6,357 km 3,950 mi at a. The north pole lies 90 on the north of the equator and the south pole lies 90 on the south of the equator. You are standing on the equator of the earth radius 3960. For the real earth, the difference of either center from the center would not be visible on a plot. If we assume earth is spherical, the length of any parallel of latitude is equal to the circumference of a great circle of earth times the cosine of the latitude angle. The earths mean radius is determined as the average distance from the physical center to the surface, based on a large number of samples. The circumference of the earth in kilometers is 40,075 km, and the circumference of the earth in miles is 24,901. If you measured the radius from earths center to the equator. The earths diameter is also wider at the equator, creating a phenomenon called an equatorial bulge. Bviewed from a point above the north pole, is the angular velocity positive or negative. Countries that are further north or south of the equator experience a change in seasons, when hot weather follows cold weather. What is the magnitude of the centripetal acceleration of.
Sep 15, 2017 the radius of earth at the equator is 3,963 miles 6,378 kilometers, according to nasas goddard space flight center. The equator is a huge circle of imagination that is assumed to be in the middle of the earth. If you were to measuring from the center of the earth out to the equator, you would obtain a. The height above sea level of the location is added. Angular and linear speed you are standing on the e. This is defined as any circle drawn on a sphere or an oblate spheroid with a center that includes the center of that sphere. However, this can be automatically converted into other length and distance units via the pulldown menu. The earth s diameter is also wider at the equator, creating a phenomenon called an equatorial bulge. Earth radius is the distance from the center of earth to a point on its surface. This happens because the earth circles around the sun.
What is the magnitude of the centripetal acceleration of an object on earths equator owing to the rotation of earth. Re denotes earth model radius, here defined to be 6,378 km. It is also reflected in earths radius, which differs depending on which latitude it is measure at. The earth is about 6400 kilometers in radius, with the radius at the equator slightlly more than the radius at the poles. The other four include the arctic circle, the antarctic circle, the tropic of cancer, and the tropic of capricorn because the earth is a sphere, the equatorthe middle lineis significantly longer. Mar 02, 2009 the circumference of the earth in kilometers is 40,075 km, and the circumference of the earth in miles is 24,901. Therefore the centrifugal force at the equator is balanced canceled by the extra gravitational force there this is referred to as effective gravity.
Measure the earths radius with a stopwatch is it possible to measure the earths radius armed only with a stopwatch. The key thing to note is that the radius or circumference of the earth do not feature in the result at all. In calculating the equator in the ellipsoid of reference there must be chosen a figure that makes allowance for a substantial bulge in the contour of the geoid in the area south of the line of the equator. It separates the northern and southern hemispheres. Its equatorial radius is 6378 km, but its polar radius is 6357 km in other words, the earth is slightly flattened. Assuming you chose a sphere, the simplest method would be to measure the diameter, and divide it by half. The angular velocity of rotation is omega 2 pi1\ day 2pi24times 60times 60\ s 7. This method was very simple yet accurate, requiring just four measurements in all to be taken and then applying a trigonometric equation to arrive at the solution. The length of earths equator is about 40,075 kilometres 24,901. You are given that the radius of the earth, at the equator, is 3960 so the circumference is itex2\pi3960 24881itex miles. Suppose a jet flies once around the earth at a speed of 500 miles an hour relative to earth. There is a small flattening at the poles and bulging around the equator due to earths rotation. D what is the speed of a point on the earths surface located at 35 of the length of the arc between the equator and the pole, measured from equator. Do you weigh more at the equator or at the north pole.
Countries, towns and cities located around the equator experience hot weather throughout the year. The equator thus qualifies as a great circle because it passes through the exact center of the earth and divides it in half. First one has to recognize that rotation is not linear motion. First, you must decide to approximate the earth as a sphere, cylinder, cone, torus, or some other geometric shape with at least one radius. What is the acceleration of gravity at a height of 12,800 km above the earths surface. Jan 28, 2020 the equator is one of five lines of latitude used to help people navigate the world. That is, earth is a spheroid rather than a sphere, with the radius at the equator approximately 20 km greater than at the poles. But for small distances it can be taken as true sphere. Given that earth has a radius of 6,400 km at its equator. Suppose you tie a rope tightly around the earth s equator. Equator linecountries on the equator map universal. It is the only line of latitude which is also a great circle. If you measure the circumference around the earths equator, you get the 40,075 km figure i mentioned up to. The other four include the arctic circle, the antarctic circle, the tropic of cancer, and the tropic of capricorn.
Given that earth has a radius of 6,400 km at its equator, what is the linear velocity at earths surface. As the northern latitudes increase from the equator to the north pole point, southern. This was very simple yet accurate requiring just four measurements in all to. The equator is one of five lines of latitude used to help people navigate the world. The basic idea is to look at a sunrise or sunset or moonrise or moonset in a very particular manner. This is also reflected in earths radius, which differs depending on which latitude it is measured at. Because the earth is a sphere, the equatorthe middle lineis significantly longer than any of the other lines of latitude. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. All around the earth the rope is raised up uniformly as high as is possible to make it tight again.
Prehistoric distance from earth minimum 10 6 km 55. The radius of earth at the equator is 3,963 miles 6,378 kilometers, according to nasas goddard space flight center. The length of the earths equator is exactly 40,075. Sep 06, 2018 its equatorial radius is 6378 km, but its polar radius is 6357 km in other words, the earth is slightly flattened. A nominal earth radius is sometimes used as a unit of measurement in astronomy and geophysics, denoted in astronomy by the symbol r. By the numbers earth nasa solar system exploration. The earths radius at the equator is larger than that at the poles. Albiruni a pioneering muslim scientist figured out a truly remarkable and ingenious method to calculate the radius of the earth and subsequently its circumference etc. Please enter the latitude in decimal degrees, here you can convert coordinates. The earths radiation belts the earth has two regions of trapped fast particles. Egyptian estimates of the size and shape of the earth. Given that earth has a radius of 6,400 km at its equator, what is the linear velocity at earth s surface.
Angular and linear speed you are standing on the equator of the earth radius 3950 miles, what is your linear and angular speed 1 with respect to the center of the earth. Jan 30, 2020 earth is an oblate spheroid that is slightly squished at the poles, which means it bulges at the equator. But it is recognized that the actual circle of the equator has an average radius which is about20 meters less. Measure the earth s radius with a stopwatch is it possible to measure the earth s radius armed only with a stopwatch.
Because these measurements are not done with more sensitive equipment, the radius calculation will be only approximate. Dec, 2018 the equator is a huge circle of imagination that is assumed to be in the middle of the earth. The inner radiation belt discovered by van allen is relatively compact, extending perhaps one earth radius above the equator 1 re 6371 km or about 4000 miles. The radius of the earth at the equator is approximately.
Difference between equator and poles equator vs poles. In fact the answer would be the same if you tied a rope around your waist and added 3 feet to that. To second order, earth is approximately an oblate spheroid, whose equatorial diameter is 43 kilometres 27 mi larger than the poletopole diameter, although the variation is less than 1% of the average radius of the earth. Centripetal force an overview sciencedirect topics. The earth has a radius of 6380 km and turns around once on. Earth has been charted with vertical and horizontal lines.
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