2006-11-05 22:47:50 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
This is because the earth is so large - relatively - as compared to our size. While standing on the earth, we are unable to see the change in slope of the earth's surface. Our line of sight will make it seem as if the earth is flat, but our sight is really a tangent, being very close to the line of the earth's surface. An example of this is when look out at the ocean, and see the masts of a ship first in the distant horizon. This is because at that distance, the curve of the earth is more prominent.
2006-11-05 23:05:22 · answer #1 · answered by ludacrusher 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Just because it is so big. It can be seen as a sphere even from the ground, with very careful measurements.
Try this. Draw the biggest circle you can, then draw a little man standing on it. Then draw straight lines from his head to the right and left so that they are tangent to (just brushing the edge of) the circle on each side of him. These are his lines of sight to the horizon. You can see how the two lines makes an upside down V, like this ^. Then draw smaller and even smaller men and do the same. The tall man has a sharper ^ and the shorter man has a flatter ^. A really, really short man has a ^ so flat it almost looks like one straight line. This means the ball looks like a flat table to that really short man. Real people are incredibly short compared to the real Earth.
2006-11-06 09:30:21 · answer #2 · answered by campbelp2002 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the earth is large enough so standing on any point on the surface appears to be the center of a flat circle, but the fact that such circles have an edge (horizon) point to the fact that it's actually a ball, or you could see to the end of the flat surface.
2006-11-06 07:01:47 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The earth is seen as flat due to the Minimum distance of Vision by the human eye
The refraction of light causes only the immediate vision to be seen by the retina
2006-11-06 07:04:06 · answer #4 · answered by Santhosh S 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We do not see it flat. When you look far enough, you cannot see any further. Watch a ship sail out into the ocean, it looks like it sinks eventually, as it passes around the curvature.
2006-11-06 06:56:32 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
the earth is very huge and our eyes can't see it so far away. and the reason why we can't fall from from earth is becos of a force called gravity which pulls us down onto the ground.
2006-11-06 08:05:42 · answer #6 · answered by muaythai 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The smaller the part of a spherical surface, the flatter it seems.
The smaller the part of a curve, the straighter it seems.
Th
2006-11-06 08:32:10 · answer #7 · answered by Thermo 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because it's very big.
2006-11-06 07:18:25 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋