When we talk about science. First let us define it here.
Science is the art of observation, that then makes predictions, and then tests those predictions.
Now given that predictive ability, we can do many things. Such as build a house, plumping, roads, cars, phones, and jet planes. Each of these things, in and of itself is not science however. It is the application of a scientific principle that was used much like building blocks to accomplish a goal. So because we understand a wheel, we could make a wagon. But! to make that wagon, we had to invent an axle, and something to hold that axle, something for it to rotate in. During each stage science comes back in. At each point we try an idea, see if it works, if it does, Great! we move on, if not, we try something else.
Even when things work perfectly, science is still just a theory about how it works. If its ability to predict how something works fails at any point, we realize we have more work to do, that our model is somehow incomplete. Still useful perhaps, much like micro and macro physics do not agree with each. They are both useful, but incomplete.
that is located in Egypt, connects Mediterranean Sea with the Gulf of Suez, opened on 17th of November 1869.
The canal has no locks because of the flat terrain, and the minor sea level difference between each end is inconsequential for shipping. - wikipedia.org
When built, the canal was 164 km (102 mi) long and 8 m (26 ft) deep.
Using the globe model of the earth, what should the natural curvature be?
Suppose that the earth is a sphere of radius 3963 miles. If you are at a point P on the earth's surface and move tangent to the surface a distance of 1 mile then you can form a right angled triangel as in the diagram. Using the theorem of Pythagoras a2 = 39632 + 12 = 15705370 and thus a = 3963.000126 miles. Thus your position is 3963.000126 - 3963 = 0.000126 miles above the surface of the earth. 0.000126 miles = 1252800.000126 = 7.98 inches. Hence the earth's surface curves at approximately 8 inches per mile. answers.yahoo.com
8 inches is what I've found elsewhere on the internet, and little argument, and they seem to have laid out the reason for the variations well. But I'll also calculate +/- 2.
6 inches x 102 miles / 12 = 51 feet
8 inches x 102 miles / 12 = 68 feet
10 inches x 102 miles / 12 = 85 feet
Ok, so the globe earth model predicts 51-85 feet of curvature. What is the actual curvature seen during this long stretch?
The Suez Canal is a sea level Canal and the height of water level differs slightly and the extreme tidal range is 65 cm in the north and 1.9 m in the south. - suezcanal.gov.eg
This means the globe earth model is wrong, in this case. We can draw conjectures from this, but one point does not make a case. I'd like to point out, the only case for a round earth is
I'd like to note, that in my research, finding 'curvature of the earth' is not listed on wikipedia page for the earth, nor do they have a page for it. There is no mainstream authorities on this subject that i could find. The word curvature is not found on the page called 'earth'.
i did find this on wikipedia - earth radius not much use.
figure of the earth - wikipedia but they have no figure about how much the drop is per mile.
also have this last quandary... i found this on quora, and seen others use the formula, but it can't be right.. is it?
The Earth curves at approximately 8 inches per per mile squared. quora.com
that would make it : 6 x 102 x 102 / 12 = 5202 feet? if that is the true estimate... we need to throw out the globe yesterday.
I came across the suez canal information first here: 200 proofs Earth is Not a Spinning Ball and decided to do my own research.
