Esri ArcGIS Pro Foundation Certification Practice Test

When a more accurate spheroid is produced, what happens to all spatial geodatabases?

1. They are archived for future reference

2. They are updated to use the new spheroid

3. They remain unchanged

4. They are deleted

The correct answer is: They are updated to use the new spheroid

When a more accurate spheroid is produced, spatial geodatabases are updated to use the new spheroid because the geodetic models underpinning spatial data are critical for maintaining accuracy in geographic information systems (GIS). The spheroid represents the shape of the Earth and is vital in defining geographical coordinates. Updating geodatabases to incorporate a new spheroid ensures that all measurements and spatial relationships are consistent with the latest scientific understanding of the Earth's shape. This process is essential for applications relying on high precision, such as surveying, mapping, and navigation. The other options, while possible in different contexts, do not align with standard practices in handling spatial data. Archiving geodatabases may occur in some cases but doesn't reflect a direct operational requirement when a new spheroid is introduced. Allowing geodatabases to remain unchanged would lead to inaccuracies in future analyses and could compromise the integrity of the data. Deleting geodatabases is not a practical solution, as it would result in the loss of valuable information that may still be relevant, even if the spheroid is outdated. Hence, updating them is the logical and necessary action following the introduction of a more accurate spheroid.