Spherical Bodies

The early ancient Greeks and Egyptians believed that the Earth was ...........

• flat square shape surrounded by heavens that were a round egg shape

• a flat disc or plane surrounded by water based on what they saw around them

• a sphere based on the observations of ships with tall mast moving across the horizon

• spherical based on the picture of Earth taken in outer space

________________ believed that the Earth was a flat square shape surrounded by heavens that were a round egg shape.

• the ancient Sumerians

• the Vikings

• the ancient Chinese

• an ancient Greek writer, Herodotus

While travelling by boat around Africa, the Phoenicians found that the Sun was not above them but to their right. This shows that ________________________________

• the Earth is flat

• the Earth is sphere

• the Earth is surrounded by water

• the boat is not big enough

Aristotle believed that the Earth was a sphere based on his observations of ships with tall masts moving across the horizon. What was his finding?

• When the ships sailed over the horizon the bottom part of the ship, the hull, disappeared from view.

• The ships suddenly disappear over the horizon as reach the edge of the world and fall down.

• Everyone saw different constellations depending on where they were.

• The sailors have merely travelled around the continents.

If the Earth were flat, then everyone would see the same constellations (group of stars) wherever they were. However, travellers and sailors observed that in fact they saw different constellations depending on where they were. It shows that the Earth is a sphere.

• True

• False