if the world was square,would we fall off it?

Answer 1

I am afraid not. It is kind of fun, though, to imagine it.

Actually, the shape of the planet would have very little to do with whether we'd "fall" off. The pull of gravity between ourselves and the Earth would be the same regardless the shape. We would always be drawn toward the center of the Earth, even if the Earth was shaped like a cube (which is what I assume you meant by square). The really interesting thing would be the effects of the pull of gravity at the corners. You would be pulled directly toward the center of the cube, and so it is possible that you would feel a bit awkward at the corners - very much like you might on the top of a pointed mountain peak on our very own semi-spherical (egg-shaped) version of the world. The farther you travelled from one of the corners or the edges, the more "natural" the pull of gravity would feel to you, and you would lose the sense of standing on a slope. As you approached the edges, you would quite literally feel as though you were standing on a slope. It would be pretty weird.

As you approached the edges and corners, the pull of gravity would be slightly less because you would be farther from the Square Earth's center (that happens on our real Earth, too, when you climb a mountain, but the difference is so little that you would never notice it, and our most delicate measuring devices barely pick it up). In any event, you certainly would not fall off the Earth. You might, however, experience the distinct feeling of falling down if you misstep, because you will definitely feel a steep slope at the corners and edges.

Really, a cubical Earth can be conceived of as a spherical one with eight gigantic mountains forming a cube out of it. Each corner would amount to a mountain peak, and the close you got to the peak, the steeper it would seem.

Neat question.

Answer 2

Interesting question. I think as you get closer to an edge, gravitational pull will reduce since the corner of a square is further from the center than the middle of an edge. I think as you round the corner you will skid down and hopefully stop near the center of that edge (providing there's enough friction to slow you down and not fly off the next corner) But you would most likely stop pretty soon unless you were a giant or the earth was really really small.

Answer 3

First, it is important to note that the shape of a body does not affect the gravitational attraction toward the center of mass.

For example every object on earth accelerates toward the center of mass when dropped at 9.8 m/sec-sec as a result of gravity. Acceleration due to gravity is independent of the shape of the body and is only dependent on the mass of the object. The greater the mass the greater the acceleration due to gravity.

So, to answer your question, no, one would not fall off of a square earthlike planet.

However, if one were to accelerate at a rate greater than 9.8 m/sec-sec at an angle greater than zero your acceleration exceeds that of gravity and you will "fall off the earth."

Answer 4

maybe, wouldn't that be intresting? you'd live on a totally flat spot and most of the time the sun wouldn't be on us, days would belonger, and nights would be much longer, we'd be colder and have more snow in more places, we probably wouldn't be as advanced as we are today and other things like that...

Now think about this: What if the world was an Octagon?

Answer 5

i assume it somewhat is the goo on their ft keeps them from falling off. From wading with the aid of each and all of the b-sh-t approximately Australia on web content like this. it somewhat is germany the place the lavatories flush backwards. (genuine). we don't wrestle the crocs lots as they shop the tourist numbers down somewhat.

Answer 6

I would not think so, Gravity would still be in effect.