1. What is the Metabunk Curvature Equation?

The Metabunk curvature equation calculates the amount of "drop" or height obscured by Earth's curvature over a given distance. It's based on basic trigonometric principles applied to a spherical Earth model.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the Metabunk curvature equation:

Where:

• \( R \) — Earth's radius (default 6,371,000 meters)
• \( d \) — Distance along the surface (meters)
• \( \cos \) — Cosine trigonometric function

Explanation: The equation calculates how much an object would be hidden below the horizon due to Earth's curvature at a given distance.

3. Importance of Curvature Calculation

Details: Understanding Earth's curvature is essential for various applications including long-distance observations, photography, and debunking flat Earth claims.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter Earth's radius (default is standard value) and distance in meters. All values must be positive numbers.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why is the default Earth radius 6,371,000 meters?
A: This is the mean radius of Earth, which provides a good approximation for most curvature calculations.

Q2: How accurate is this calculation?
A: It provides a theoretical value based on a perfect sphere. Actual observations may vary due to atmospheric refraction and other factors.

Q3: Does this account for observer height?
A: No, this is the basic drop calculation. For observer height adjustments, more complex formulas are needed.

Q4: What's the relationship between distance and drop?
A: The drop increases with distance, but not linearly - it follows a curve that becomes more pronounced over longer distances.

Q5: Can I use this for other planets?
A: Yes, by changing the radius value you can calculate curvature drop for any spherical body.