A measurement of the Earth's radius for high school students
Abstract
In the Tuscan Archipelago (Italy) it's possible to make an approximate measurement of the Earth's radius from the Elba Island using the Pianosa Island as a ship that appears and disappears on the horizon depending on the observer's height above sea level. The necessary calculations require the mathematical skills of the first two years of high school. The measurement described here refers to a particular geographical location, but it can probably be repeated in similar situations around the world.
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