2007-10-19 18:18:59 · 12 answers · asked by angel 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Earth Sciences & Geology
No. The earth is round and therefore the most direct path on the surface will be a curve.
Whilst you could build a tunnel in a straight line from point "A" to point "B" by definition this would be through the earth and would not be a circumnavigation.
The confusion often lies in the fact that maps are usually made using Mercator projection to produce a map in one dimension. To do this it artificially distorts the true nature of the terrain. Thus when aircraft fly by the most direct route on a map it is always in a curve!
2007-10-20 08:25:11 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. After walking 100 miles in a straight line, you would be about 1.26 miles up in the air. To circumnavigate the Earth, you need to follow the curvature of the Earth's surface.
2007-10-20 02:12:50 · answer #2 · answered by morningfoxnorth 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Avoid reading the mathematically-challenged answers above - the answer is no. At best you can only approximate a circle using a summation of straight lines.
Your path will be a vector tangent to the circle. In order for that path to remain tangent to the circle, the direction of the vector will have to change (by the addition of a vector pointed inwards towards the center of the circle). Regardless of the coordinate system, whenever the direction of that vector changes, it is no longer following a straight line.
Many of the other posts have introduced relativism to provide you the flexibility to achieve whatever answer you want. "Oh, you can travel a circle in a straight line if you just redefine the meaning of 'straight'..." hogwash. Straight is straight. If you want relativism, take a philosophy class or a Clinton law review.
2007-10-19 18:42:34 · answer #3 · answered by Sourball09 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hi. Any great circle route will circumnavigate the Earth, but I think you may mean at the equator. So the great circle is always at 0 degrees. It will follow the curvature of the Earth, of course.
2007-10-19 18:22:29 · answer #4 · answered by Cirric 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
well, you could when you use an airjet or airplane, but I highly doubt you can do it with a boat, oh and also does circumnavigating the earth also count as walking around the north pole?
2007-10-19 19:20:55 · answer #5 · answered by Chongor 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes .If you reach a height above gravitational pull that is about more than 250 K/m height you can simply travel in a straight line or you can just be there for some time and get down you will reach different place if you calculate properly.Other wise you will miss to reach back our world.
2007-10-19 19:13:42 · answer #6 · answered by A.Ganapathy India 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
what do you mean by straight?
if you mean walking in a straight line, yes, because gravity will hold us down and we can walk over the curved surface of the earth in a straight path.
but if you mean starting at a point and following a straight tangent plane, then no.
2007-10-19 18:22:55 · answer #7 · answered by kells 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Somebody probably can, but I can't. I can hardly afford to circumnavigate the state.
2007-10-19 18:21:54 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes
2007-10-19 18:20:42 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes if you plan to straight forward than you would need a plane and a map to know where to go otherwise you would hit Mount Everest.
2007-10-19 19:30:54 · answer #10 · answered by mr.antonio@att.net 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋