What is the Earth radius?
Earth is the third planet from the Sun in our solar system. Earth’s radius is a measurement used to describe its size. Earth’s diameter provides another dimension of the planet. Learn about Earth’s radius and diameter to understand the planet’s size and shape.
Earth has an average radius of 6,371 kilometers (3,959 miles). The planet’s mass is 5.972 x 10^24 kilograms (1.316 x 10^24 pounds). Scientists round Earth’s mass to 5.98 × 10^24 kg (1.32 × 10^25 lbs) for simplicity in calculations.
Earth’s equatorial radius measures 6,378 kilometers (3,963 miles). The World Geodetic System 1984 (WGS-84) Ellipsoid specifies the precise equatorial radius as 6,378,137 meters (20,925,600 feet). The equatorial radius is larger than the polar radius due to Earth’s oblate spheroid shape. Earth’s polar radius measures 6,356 kilometers (3,950 miles), shorter than the equatorial radius.
What is the radius and mass of Earth?
The radius of Earth is 6,371 kilometers (3,959 miles) and its mass is 5.972 x 10^24 kilograms (1.316 x 10^24 pounds). Earth’s equatorial radius measures 6,378 km (3,963 miles), while its polar radius is 6,357 km (3,950 miles). Scientists round Earth’s mass to 5.98 × 10^24 kg (1.32 × 10^25 lbs) for simplicity.
What is the radius of Earth at the equator?
The radius of Earth at the equator is 6,378 kilometers (3,963 miles). This equatorial radius represents the radius of Earth due to its oblate spheroid shape. Scientists consider it a parameter for geological, astronomical, and geophysical studies.
The precise measurement of Earth’s equatorial radius is 6378.1370 km (3958.7610 miles). This value is derived from the World Geodetic System 1984 (WGS-84) Ellipsoid, which specifies the equatorial radius as 6,378,137 meters (20,925,600 feet). Scientists simplify the equatorial radius measurement to 6,378 km (3,963 miles) for practical purposes. NASA reports the equatorial radius as 6,378 kilometers (3,963 miles) or 10,920,000 feet (1,910,000 meters) in its publications. An approximate value of 6,400 km (3,976 miles) is used for calculations or discussions about Earth’s size. Earth has a polar radius of 6,356 kilometers (3,950 miles) or 3,950 miles (6,356 kilometers), which is shorter than the equatorial radius due to Earth’s oblate spheroid shape.
What is the radius of Earth at the pole?
The radius of Earth at the pole is 6,356.7523 kilometers (3,949.9028 miles) or 3,949.9028 miles (6,356.7523 kilometers). NASA Earth radius measurements confirm this value for the polar radius, known as the semi-minor axis.
NASA’s measurements provide a polar radius of 6356.7523 km (3949.9028 miles). These figures are crucial for scientific calculations and satellite operations. Rounded values are used for various purposes, with 6357 km (3950 miles) or 3950 miles (6357 km) being approximations. Some sources round the polar radius to the kilometer, resulting in 6356 km (3945 miles). Sea level measurements at the poles yield a value of 6356.752 km (3945.25 miles). Earth’s oblate spheroid shape causes the polar radius to be smaller than the equatorial radius. The equatorial radius measures 6378 km (3963 miles), 22 km (13.67 miles) larger than the polar radius. Earth’s rotation creates this bulge at the equator and flattening at the poles. The polar diameter, twice the polar radius, equals 12,714 km (7,900 miles). Earth’s mean radius, used in general calculations, is 6371 km (3959 miles).
