String Girdling Earth Calculator: Gap and Extra Length

Your details

The length spliced into the string on top of what is already needed to wrap the sphere.
m
The sphere size does not affect the answer, but you can choose any to verify the paradox.
Gap height
0.1592

Uniform distance between the raised string and the sphere surface

Gap unitm
Extra string needed1
Extra length unitm
Sphere circumference40,030.17
Circumference unitkm
New string circumference40,030.17
Gap in centimetres15.92
Gap in inches6.27
Sphere radius6,371
Gap height0.1592
Extra string1

Extra length of 1.0000 m creates a gap of 0.1592 m.

  • Adding just 1.0000 m of string raises the rope 0.1592 m off the surface everywhere.
  • The sphere's circumference is about 40030 km - yet the gap depends on none of that.
  • At this gap, a small child could crawl through.
  • This result holds for any sphere, from a golf ball to the Sun - the planet size cancels out completely.

Next stepTry changing the sphere to Earth, Moon, or a golf ball and watch the gap stay exactly 15.92 cm regardless.

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