2007-11-15 10:00:20 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Earth Sciences & Geology
They are not flat. Imagine a circle drawn on the earth about 2000 miles in diameter. If you looked at small (2metre) length of it, theline would "look" straight.Now think about a line drawn on the surface of the ocean. a small area would look flat but the whole area is curved. That is why there a finite distance to the horizon. EG Loch Ness, Scotland. If you lie on the beach at one end you will see the horizon about 6 miles away, and think that's the other end of the loch.....
But the loch is actually about 23 miles long curved out of sight below the horizon.
2007-11-15 10:19:13 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Flat or not flat?
A lake which is 100m diameter is around 0.2mm 'higher' in the middle than at the lakeside. (Assuming the earth is an approximately uniform sphere)
So given the difficulty inherent in trying to measure that 0.2mm the statement that the water is flat is a reasonable one. Ponds and small lakes *are* flat for all practical purposes.
Now when you get to bodies of water that are the size of seas or oceans they are most obviously not flat. Just examine any school globe and you will see large areas of blue that are convex.
2007-11-15 18:34:12 · answer #2 · answered by frothuk 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Its not flat, All small distances on earth appear flat.
Free water bodies be it lake or pond etc. assume equipotential surface with respect to earth's gravity and shape.
thnks
2007-11-15 19:24:40 · answer #3 · answered by mandira_nk 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A large enough body of water follows the curvature of the earth. If you were high enough above the ocean you would be able to see this.
But since you need to be able to see for hundred of miles to observe this, it appears flat most of the time.
2007-11-15 18:04:51 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Lakes and seas do follow the curve of the earth. It's just so gradual you can't tell it by looking at it.
2007-11-15 18:03:50 · answer #5 · answered by morris 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
How do you know they are flat? If you take very precise measurements you might find a very slight curvature on them. Probably not you but a well-trained scientist might.
2007-11-15 18:04:28 · answer #6 · answered by Amphibolite 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
they are not, or at least large bodies of water are not. the water is held in place by gravity, and large bodies of water are curved too. it is simply that the curvature of the earth is so slight that you cannot notice it.
2007-11-15 18:05:32 · answer #7 · answered by Alan W 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
are you serious? theyre not, but its too small a distance to notice the curvature
2007-11-15 18:04:27 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋