Earth Polar Radius
The Earth's polar radius is the distance from the center of the Earth to the North or South Pole. It measures the Earth’s radius along its rotational axis.
Its value is approximately 6,356.8 kilometers (about 3,949.9 miles).
The Earth is an oblate spheroid, so the polar radius is slightly shorter than the equatorial radius due to the planet's flattening at the poles.
This measurement is crucial for geodesy, understanding Earth’s shape, and satellite navigation.
Key facts:
Polar radius ≈ 6,356.8 km
Smaller than equatorial radius by about 21.3 km
Important for precise Earth modeling and mapping
The difference between the polar and equatorial radius reflects the Earth’s rotation and its effect on the planet’s shape.
Femtometer
A femtometer (fm) is a unit of length in the metric system, equal to one-quadrillionth of a meter (1 fm = 10⁻¹⁵ meters). It is also known as a fermi, named after the physicist Enrico Fermi. Femtometers are used to measure extremely small distances at the subatomic level, such as the size of protons, neutrons, and atomic nuclei. For example, the radius of a proton is about 0.84 femtometers. This unit is commonly used in nuclear physics and particle physics, but it's far too small for everyday measurements.
No conversions available for length.