Why is the gravitational field strength stronger at the poles?

Answer 1

Gravity is a downward attractive force exerted from the centre of the earth. In other words, the closer you get to the centre of the earth, the stronger the gravitational field strength.

The earth is not a perfect sphere. Both the north and south poles are closer to the centre of the earth. In other words, imagine the earth as a a slightly compressed football where the equator is farther from the centre of the earth while both the poles are closer.

And because they are closer to the centre of the earth, gravitational field strength is stronger at the poles.

But even if Earth were a perfect sphere you would still weigh slightly less at the equator than at the poles due to a small upward centrifugal force that results from Earth's rotation.

Answer 2

Simple, although the mass is less at the poles, because the earth is spinning and therefore the earth's circumference swells at the equator, creating more mass underneath your feet; the centrifugal force created by the spinning actually amounts to pushing you away from earth more than the increase in mass-pull due to that swelling. Remember how hard it was to hold onto the merry-go-round when they spun it really fast?...its like that. Ask any equatorial fish..they'll tell you.

:-)

Answer 3

The planet Earth is not a perfect sphere. Instead, it is slightly flatter than an average sphere at the North and South poles. Gravity is stronger when you are closer to the centre of the Earth, so if the poles are flatter than the rest of the Earth's surface, they would be closer to the centre of the Earth, therefore making gravity stronger at those points.

Answer 4

At the poles, you are closer to the earths centre of gravity resulting in a greater force of attraction.

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Also at the equator the centripetal force due to the earths rotation diminishes the force of gravity.

Answer 5

Because the Earth's spin is fast enough that there is a difference in diameter at the poles than the equator (the least diameter at the poles). Because Earth's diameter is least at the poles, they are closer to its center of gravity, and therefore the gravitational acceleration there is slightly more.

Answer 6

Yes, since at the poles, you're not spinning quite as fast as the equator, your body is dealing with less centrifugal force. At the equator, since it spins quickly because it's more farther out, there is more centrifugal force in that area flinging you towards space. But the thing is, the gravitational force doesn't increase at all, it stays a constant 1, but as you go closer to the equator is decreases, like 0.95, 0.9, 0.85, etc.

Answer 7

In simple terms it is because the magnetic field is stronger at the poles of a magnet. Why it is like that is still unknown for me.

Answer 8

The strength of gravity is different at the poles and the equator because the earth is not actually spherical.