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

The Earth’s atmosphere is not strictly spherical, but it will more closely resemble the “oblate sphereoid” that is a more realistic ideal of a planet undergoing rotation.