Statement I : The Earth is shaped more like a tangerine. Statement II

Statement I : The Earth is shaped more like a tangerine.
Statement II : The Earth spins faster at the Poles.

[amp_mcq option1=”Both the statements are individually true and statement II is the correct explanation of statement I” option2=”Both the statements are individually true but statement II is not the correct explanation of statement I” option3=”Statement I is true but statement II is false” option4=”Statement I is false but statement II is true” correct=”option3″]

This question was previously asked in

UPSC CAPF – 2011

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Statement I is true, but Statement II is false.

The Earth’s shape is an oblate spheroid, and its rotation speed is greatest at the equator.

Statement I is true; the Earth is not a perfect sphere but is slightly flattened at the poles and bulges at the equator due to centrifugal force from its rotation, a shape often approximated by calling it an oblate spheroid or using the analogy of a tangerine or orange. Statement II is false; the Earth spins at a constant *angular* velocity (completing one rotation in roughly 24 hours), but the *linear* velocity (speed along the surface) is highest at the equator because points on the equator are farthest from the axis of rotation. The linear velocity decreases towards the poles and is essentially zero at the geographical poles which lie on the axis of rotation.

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