Figure of the Earth
Hey there kiddo! Do you know that our planet Earth is not a perfect sphere? It is actually flattened a bit at the top and bottom and bulges around its middle like an apple.
This shape of the Earth is called a "figure of the Earth." Now, you must be wondering why the Earth has this figure, right?
Well, it's because of something called gravity. You know that everything on Earth is pulled towards the center by gravity, right? This means that the Earth's mass (or weight) is not distributed evenly.
The planet's rotation also plays a role. Because the Earth is spinning, the force of gravity at the equator (the middle) is weaker than at the poles (the top and bottom). This causes the bulge in the middle and flattening at the poles.
Scientists have measured the figure of the Earth to be around 6,371 kilometers (3,959 miles) from pole to pole and around 6,384 kilometers (3,964 miles) around the equator.
Isn't that cool? Our Earth is not just a plain old sphere, but has a special shape that makes it unique and interesting!
This shape of the Earth is called a "figure of the Earth." Now, you must be wondering why the Earth has this figure, right?
Well, it's because of something called gravity. You know that everything on Earth is pulled towards the center by gravity, right? This means that the Earth's mass (or weight) is not distributed evenly.
The planet's rotation also plays a role. Because the Earth is spinning, the force of gravity at the equator (the middle) is weaker than at the poles (the top and bottom). This causes the bulge in the middle and flattening at the poles.
Scientists have measured the figure of the Earth to be around 6,371 kilometers (3,959 miles) from pole to pole and around 6,384 kilometers (3,964 miles) around the equator.
Isn't that cool? Our Earth is not just a plain old sphere, but has a special shape that makes it unique and interesting!
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