Eli5: Why Mauna Mea isn’t the tallest mountain as it lies above 10000 meter above the Pacific Ocean bed while Mount everest only around 8500 meter?
In: 0
[removed]
[removed]
It’s just definitions. Mauna **K**ea (title typo) IS the “tallest mountain from base to peak”. Everest is the “tallest mountain by peak elevation above sea level”. Another interesting one is Mt. Chimborazo, the “mountain whose peak is the farthest point from the center of the Earth”. The Earth itself isn’t spherical and the base of Chimborazo is near the equator where the Earth bulges out. Its base is farther from the planet’s center more than Everest’s, enough to compensate for Everest itself being taller base-to-peak.
It’s just definitions. Mauna **K**ea (title typo) IS the “tallest mountain from base to peak”. Everest is the “tallest mountain by peak elevation above sea level”. Another interesting one is Mt. Chimborazo, the “mountain whose peak is the farthest point from the center of the Earth”. The Earth itself isn’t spherical and the base of Chimborazo is near the equator where the Earth bulges out. Its base is farther from the planet’s center more than Everest’s, enough to compensate for Everest itself being taller base-to-peak.
It’s just definitions. Mauna **K**ea (title typo) IS the “tallest mountain from base to peak”. Everest is the “tallest mountain by peak elevation above sea level”. Another interesting one is Mt. Chimborazo, the “mountain whose peak is the farthest point from the center of the Earth”. The Earth itself isn’t spherical and the base of Chimborazo is near the equator where the Earth bulges out. Its base is farther from the planet’s center more than Everest’s, enough to compensate for Everest itself being taller base-to-peak.
Everest has the highest elevation (distance above sea level). Distance from ground level is a peak’s summit is it’s “height”. You also have prominence and isolation which make mountains look higher than they are. Prominence is the difference of that peak to the peaks around it. Isolation is distance from the closest peak at it’s elevation or higher. Those last 2 measurements are why Pike’s Peak is so famous in Colorado when it’s not the tallest. It’s just easy to see.
Everest has the highest elevation (distance above sea level). Distance from ground level is a peak’s summit is it’s “height”. You also have prominence and isolation which make mountains look higher than they are. Prominence is the difference of that peak to the peaks around it. Isolation is distance from the closest peak at it’s elevation or higher. Those last 2 measurements are why Pike’s Peak is so famous in Colorado when it’s not the tallest. It’s just easy to see.
Everest has the highest elevation (distance above sea level). Distance from ground level is a peak’s summit is it’s “height”. You also have prominence and isolation which make mountains look higher than they are. Prominence is the difference of that peak to the peaks around it. Isolation is distance from the closest peak at it’s elevation or higher. Those last 2 measurements are why Pike’s Peak is so famous in Colorado when it’s not the tallest. It’s just easy to see.
Depends on how you measure “tallness” of a mountain.
(a) Is it the highest above sea level (Everest)
(b) Is it the longest distance from base to top (Mauna Mea)
(c) Farthest from Earths center (Mt Chimborazo, Ecuador)
Depends on how you measure “tallness” of a mountain.
(a) Is it the highest above sea level (Everest)
(b) Is it the longest distance from base to top (Mauna Mea)
(c) Farthest from Earths center (Mt Chimborazo, Ecuador)
Latest Answers