That Earth is spherical in space is not proved by which of the following statements: I. If Earth were flat there would be some sharp edges to be found by travellers. II. Solar eclipses show the shadow of earth as circular. III. Sunrise is not visible from all places on Earths surface at the same time. IV. The altitude of stars seen from different places on Earths surface vary,

The question asks which statement does NOT prove Earth's sphericity. Statement II is technically incorrect as written because solar eclipses involve the Moon's shadow falling on Earth, not Earth's shadow. It is during a lunar eclipse that Earth casts a circular shadow on the Moon [c1][t2][t4]. Statement I is a logical deduction of sphericity; a flat Earth would imply physical edges, whereas a sphere allows for continuous travel [c2][c3]. Statement III is a valid proof because if Earth were flat, sunrise would occur simultaneously everywhere; instead, eastern locations see it earlier due to rotation and curvature [c1][t5]. Statement IV is also a valid proof; the altitude of stars (like the Pole Star) and the visibility of constellations vary with latitude, which is only possible on a curved surface [t1][t3][t7]. Thus, only Statement II fails as a proof due to the misidentification of the eclipse type.

Sources

1. [1] Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 2: The Earth's Crust > Evidence of the Earth's Sphericity > p. 5
2. [2] Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 2: The Earth's Crust > Evidence of the Earth's Sphericity > p. 4
3. [3] Exploring Society:India and Beyond. Social Science-Class VI . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 1: Locating Places on the Earth > Mapping the Earth > p. 12
4. [4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empirical_evidence_for_the_spherical_shape_of_Earth
5. [5] https://www.loc.gov/static/collections/finding-our-place-in-the-cosmos-with-carl-sagan/articles-and-essays/modeling-the-cosmos/ancient-greek-astronomy-and-cosmology.html