Bodies that are on the surface of Earth are undergoing radial acceleration due to Earth's rotation on its axis. Our planet completes one rotation in 24 hours and has a radius of about 6 371 km.
1. What is the radial acceleration of a body found at Earth's equator in m/s²?
2. If a certain body will be placed at 25° latitude, compute its radial acceleration. Express your answer in m/s².
3. Why are bodies on Earth not thrown off into space? Justify your answer using your answers in numbers 1 and 2.
Answers & Comments
Answer:
The radial acceleration of a body at Earth's equator is approximately 0.034 m/s². This can be calculated using the formula: radial acceleration = (angular velocity^2) x radius, where angular velocity is the speed at which Earth rotates on its axis (2π/24 hours) and radius is the distance from the center of Earth to the equator (6371 km).
The radial acceleration of a body at 25° latitude is approximately 0.0327 m/s². This can be calculated using the formula: radial acceleration = (angular velocity^2) x (cos(latitude)) x radius.
Bodies on Earth are not thrown off into space because of the force of gravity. The radial acceleration of a body caused by Earth's rotation is much smaller than the gravitational force acting on it, which is pulling it towards the center of Earth. Additionally, the centrifugal force caused by the rotation of the Earth is also relatively small, and it is directed away from the center of the Earth, which is counterbalanced by the gravitational force.
Explanation:
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Christian Arconila Dap-og