Spherical Earth

spherical Earth, also called spherical Earth model, refers to any figure of Earth as represented by a sphere. Although other models, including the geoid model (which is based on approximations of Earth’s gravitational field) and the ellipsoid model (which is based on mathematical approximations of Earth’s shape), are more accurate for many purposes, spherical models are useful as a general-use model of Earth. A globe is one representation of a spherical model of Earth.