tetrahedral hypothesis

noun

: a hypothesis in geology: the earth's assumed original spherical form giving a minimum surface for a given volume tended as the earth shrank to develop into a tetrahedron giving a maximum surface for a given volume with the continents as the edges and the ocean basins as the sides

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Cite this Entry

“Tetrahedral hypothesis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tetrahedral%20hypothesis. Accessed 26 Nov. 2024.

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