Flat earth (another split)

[Robittybob1]

No. For a non-rotating oblate spheroid of uniform density, the gravity at the equator will be less than that at the poles. Do not confuse an Alderson disk's gravity profile for that of an very oblate sphere as they have different mass distribution profiles..

With a disk, the thickness remains constant as you move away from the axis, and with an oblate spheroid, the thickness decreases as you move away from the axis this has an effect on how gravity behaves along the surface. (For example, if you revert the oblate spheroid to where its polar and equatorial radii are equal, you get a sphere. If you do the same to a disk you get a cylinder. The gravity along the surface of a cylinder is not going to match that along the surface of a sphere.)

 

Since any rotation has the additional effect of lessening the effect of gravity at the equator of an oblate spheroid, this will only increase this difference.

You are definitely a cut above the rest of us. Cheers. So what I want know is the shape of an Earth that has a rotational period of just 1 hour (say). I have heard of scientists giving the Early Earth a rotational period of 2 hours (before Theia struck) so what shape is the planet when that happens for all the diagrams just show a relatively spherical Earth.

At what point would the Earth begin to stretch out like a spun pizza base?

looks fun but don't get me to do it!

Edited April 16, 2015 by Robittybob1