Gravity

Jump to forum:
 
17th August 2009, 06:40am
#1
by bayview
Torbay England
Member Since: Feb 2008
Member Points: 75

If it was possible to construct a tunnel straight through your planet called Earth,from one side to the other,land mass to land mass obviously and you were able to travel through this unharmed,regardless of the heat from the core,where would you stop in relation to gravity ??

17th August 2009, 08:39am
#2
by chessman82
Finland
Member Since: Jun 2009
Member Points: 170

I'm not sure about this but it would seem logical that you would stop as close to Earth's central mass point as possible. This would be about half way through I guess.

23rd August 2009, 03:11am
#3
by LeHibou
La Hulpe Belgium
Member Since: Jul 2009
Member Points: 6

Actually, it would depend on whether there was any air in the tunnel: If so, the air resistance would slow you down, and you would continue past the centre of the earth, rising to a point lower (on the other side), then fall back down to the centre. Effectively, you would bob up and down to the other side and back again, each journey not quite as high as the one before, until, just like a pendulum, you would come to rest at the centre. If, however there was no air resistance, you would continue to bob up and down more or less forever. All this of course assumes that your tunnel is from pole to pole, because if not, the effect of the spinning earth would be that you hit the side of the tunnel, and (depending on friction), you would probably slide down to the centre. Probably.

27th August 2009, 01:13am
#4
by bayview
Torbay England
Member Since: Feb 2008
Member Points: 75

to that of a perpetual trampoline effect ?.

 

Add your comment:

Join Chess.com for free to add your comment! Already a member? Then login now to comment.