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The speed of light in vacuum is a universal constant. The distance around the earth depends on the line of measurement. Because of its rotation, the earth is not a perfect sphere: its equatorial radius is 0.3% greater than its polar radius. Consequently the measurement is affected by the exact line along which the radius is measured.

Furthermore, there are two kinds of variations in the equatorial radius. One is a long-term variation caused by the distribution of mass on the surface: possibly the ocean mass. There is also the short term variation caused by the gravitational pull of the moon.

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9y ago
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13y ago

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Q: Why might using speed of light to determine the length of the meter be more reliable than using a measured distance around earth?
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Why is distance around the equator measured at 24783mi when the distance around the earth is measured at 24901 mi?

The earth is slightly wider than it is tall, so the measurement around the equator is going to be a just over a hundred miles greater than the distance around the earth.


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Why might using the speed of light to determine the length of the meter be more reliable than using a measured distance around Earth?

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