Why does our atmosphere appear spherical while Earth itself is clearly not (e.g., elevations from ocean trenches to mountains)?

Question

Why does our atmosphere appear spherical while Earth itself is clearly not (e.g., elevations from ocean trenches to mountains)?

In: Physics

Answer 1

If you toss a pebble into a pond does the pond now have a pebble-shaped water bump on top? No, of course not, the water flows down to fill all the gaps and finds a level on top. The same is true of air.