Earth Curvature Calculator

Find how much the Earth's surface drops over a distance.

Distance

Earth radius

Curvature drop 1.962

Formula: drop ≈ d² ÷ (2R)

Step-by-step with your numbers:

1. Values used:

2. Distance = 5

3. Earth radius = 6,371

5. Curvature drop = 1.962

Did we solve your problem today?

Over distance, the Earth's surface curves away below a straight line of sight.

The math behind it

The drop is approximately d² ÷ (2R). It grows with the square of distance.

Over 5 km → about 1.96 m of drop.

Why can I still see distant mountains?

Their height exceeds the curvature drop, and refraction helps too.