The earth has a radius R=6370000 m and rotates on its axis once every 24 hours. Point A sits on the equator while point B sits at a latitude of Theta=31 degree and point C is at the North Pole (latitude of Theta=90 degrees). What is r, the distance between point B and the axis of rotation? What is the centripetal acceleration of the following point only to the Earth's rotation? Point A? Point B? Point C? What would the period of the Earth's rotation have to be so that centripetal acceleration at the equator was 9.81 m/s2? During a 8 hour period, how much farther does point A travel as compared to point B?
Explanation / Answer
centripetal accleration at a point A a = Va^2 / r a= r^2 = 2/T T = time period of rotation = 24hrs =24*3600sec r = radial distance atpoint A radial distancefrom the axis to the point A r = R cos a = (R cos)^2