Quick Answer: Shape of Earth due to Rotation is a model with flexible steel hoops on a central axle. Spinning it makes the hoops bulge at the middle and flatten at the poles, like the Earth’s equatorial bulge.
Last updated: October 2026
Key Features
Flexible steel hoops mounted on a central axle
Hoops bulge outward and flatten at the poles when rotated
Shows why the Earth is an oblate spheroid rather than a perfect sphere
Simple construction for repeated class use
Technical Specifications
Specification
Value
Hoops
Flexible steel
Mounting
Central axle
Concept
Oblate spheroid shape due to rotation
About This Product
Students watch the hoops change shape as the speed of rotation rises, linking the outward (centrifugal) effect of spin to the Earth being wider at the equator than from pole to pole. The model is used in physics, geography and Earth science classes on rotation and planetary shape. Laboratories and colleges in Burkina Faso, Gambia, Eswatini, Kenya and Burundi can buy the Shape of Earth due to Rotation through an export order.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the model show about the Earth?
As the steel hoops spin they bulge at the equator and flatten at the poles, showing how rotation gives the Earth an oblate spheroid shape.
