Chapter 4 LAB Activity: Eratosthenes and the Earth’s Circumference Answers

Introduction Eratosthenes, a Greek geographer (about 276 to 194 B.C.), made a surprisingly accurate estimate of the Earth’s circumference. The legend follows that Eratosthenes used a deep vertical well near Syene, in southern Egypt which was entirely lit up by the sun at noon once a year as the basis of his calculations. He reasoned…