Question

The Equatorial circumference of the Earth is ________________.
A) 40075 km
B) 40000km
C) 75040km
D) 54070km

Answer 1

Hint: The Earth is in the form of an oblate spheroid. Its circumference measures 24,901.55 miles at the Equator. Eratosthenes was the first one to estimate the circumference of the Earth.

Complete answer:
Equatorial Circumference of the Earth is the linear distance of the earth around the equator. The measurement of the circumference of the Earth has been significant to navigation since ancient times. Due to its characteristic of flattening, the Earth deviates from its spherical shape by 0.3%.

The earth is not an exact sphere. It is slightly flat at the poles and bulges at the equator which makes its equatorial diameter greater than its polar diameter. The equatorial diameter of the Earth is 40075 km. This option is correct.

Hence the correct answer is option ‘A’.

Note: The circumference of the Earth at the poles, measured from North Pole to South Pole, is only 40,008 km. The equatorial circumference of the Earth is greater than its polar circumference. This is why the earth rotates from left to right instead of top to bottom on its axis.