prolate spheroid
geometry
Quick Summary
A prolate spheroid is a type of ellipsoid of revolution. It is generated by revolving an ellipse about its major axis. This shape is longer than it is wide, resembling a stretched-out sphere.1
In contrast, an oblate spheroid is formed by revolving an ellipse about its minor axis, resulting in a shape that is flattened at the poles and bulges at the equator. While often approximated as a sphere for general purposes, Earth itself is more accurately described as an oblate spheroid due to its rotation.23
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