Is Earth a sphere?

[Umbran]

So did you choose Yes or No?

Yes, I did choose Yes or No.

It's hard to tell if the poll is a test of who believes the earth is round vs. flat...

If that's what he wanted to test, he worded it poorly.

...or if it's a test of who's going to quibble that Bullgrit said "Sphere" and not "oblate spheroid" which is more specific and thus more correct.

...or if it is a test of who feels the difference is "quibbling".

does each responder KNOW what bullgrit meant, or did we ASSUME?

Or did we not care what he meant, and answered it as stated?

 

[MarkB]

Voted "yes" because it's close enough to a sphere, and probably closer than many things you'd look at and think "yeah, that's a sphere".

 

[Umbran]

There's no layman's term for oblate spheroid, so how would Bullgrit know the right word to say, let alone be understood by a larger audience if he had used the more precise term.

If he doesn't know, he's supposed to learn through folks telling him the more correct term when appropriate. This being an internet message board, the larger audience has access to search engines and online dictionaries that can tell them what the term means when it is presented! I fail to see a problem here.

 

[Nytmare]

My first thought upon seeing this poll was that it should have been worded "Do you think the Earth is a sphere."

The next poll should be "What do you think Bullgrit meant when he asked this question?"

 

[Bullgrit]

For the record, I do know the exact shape and size of Earth. I wasn't asking this poll to learn Earth's shape, I was curious how folks here would answer the question.

Would people get scientifically precise to the point where they'd say "no" to Earth being a sphere? Even though it is within 00.3% of a sphere. See, even though I know the exact shape and size of Earth, I still checked the Yes vote. Just like I call this a circle:

I wonder how many people who vote No, that Earth is not a sphere, would say Yes the above is a circle? It is the same x/y-axis ratio as Earth equator/poles ratio, so it's no more a circle than Earth is a sphere. (Or, it is as much a circle as Earth is a sphere.)

I didn't start this poll to in anyway offend, pick on, or argue with anyone about the shape of this planet. I was truly just curious how many people would essentially split hairs over the question. Now, although I voted and would answer Yes that Earth is a sphere, I would, in a reply post or a verbal explanation, elaborate on the shape for precision. But given a yes or no choice, I would side on Yes, Earth is a sphere. I find it interesting that some could not accept the 00.3% inaccuracy, and have to say No.

Bullgrit

 

[Morrus]

A sphere is a good enough description for conversational language. Depends on the context of the discussion.

 

[Nytmare]

This is not hair splitting. These are things with definitions (hair splitting, for the record, also has a definition). A sphere is a specific thing, and the Earth, though close, does not fit the definition of a sphere.

The picture you posted, looks like a circle. If you had asked me "What shape is this thing?" I probably would have answered "circle." But, if you had asked me "What shape is this thing that scads and scads of scientists have painstakingly measured with exacting accuracy over the last who-knows-how-many years, that you've learned about in school, and have watched probably about a hundred different episodes of various science shows talking about the fact (note: fact) that it is not a circle." I would have answered "Not a circle."

 

[Ahnehnois]

Is a d6 a cube?

 

[darjr]

Duh! The earth is flat!..........





In some places on its sphere.

 

[Leif]

The technical geometric term for the shape of the earth is "oblate spheroid," (as numerous others have observed here) which means it's kinda roundish, but too squished in from top and bottom to be an actual sphere. But I still like darjr's answer best of all.