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2007-03-27 11:26:45 · 6 answers · asked by Dovey 7 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
Your weight is a function of the gravitational force that the earth exerts on your body. As you move further away from the earth's center, the gravitational pull is less and hence your weight is reduced. The earth is not a perfect sphere...it is elliptical, with a larger radius at the equator than at the poles. At the equator, then, you are slightly farther away from the earth's center than you would be at the poles, so your weight is also slightly less.
Hope that helps...
2007-03-27 11:38:20 · answer #1 · answered by Marcus75 3 · 19⤊ 11⤋
Slverbirch is right the earth is not perfectly round, you would weight a little more (though insignificantly) at the pole because you are closer to the gravitational centre of the earth, just like you would weight a little less on top of mount Everest because you would be farther from the earth's centre of gravity!
2007-03-27 18:38:31 · answer #2 · answered by Yahoo! 5 · 3⤊ 4⤋
The acceleration due to gravity is less at the equator, because the earth is an oblate spheroid - (squashed sphere)
2007-03-27 18:44:38 · answer #3 · answered by rosie recipe 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
The rotation of the earth produces a slight centrifugal force. At the equator, you are being swung around like a weight on the end of a line. Although the rate of rotation is slow (24 hours), this does produce a slight centrifugal force which lightens you very minimally. On the poles, you are just rotating around; there is no centrifugal force.
2007-03-27 18:33:28 · answer #4 · answered by Erik A 2 · 5⤊ 4⤋
The Earth is not a pefect sphere, it is slightly flattened at the poles, so you are closer to the core.
2007-03-27 18:30:14 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 4⤋
Its a long walk...you lose a good amount of weight on the way.
2007-03-27 18:33:01 · answer #6 · answered by philip_jones2003 5 · 20⤊ 6⤋