My Friend Has A Science Question

[EPW]

isn't centripetal acceleration = v^2/r? Your being thrown off by the spinning, so your weight goes down by F=ma.

[Asher]

Where's KrazyHorse and GP? They could debate this for hours until Lori felt sufficiently punished for asking the question.

[EPW]

In other words, grav acceleration is 9.8m/s, centripetal acceleration is v^2/r(which would come out as negative by defining grav acceleration as positive). So your weight is equal to F=weight=M(9.8m/s-(v^2/r)).

[Dry]

Originally posted by SpencerH
Why would centripetal force effect weight? IIRC from my physics classes some 25 years ago, the effects of centripetal force are perpendicular to the effects of gravity.

From my physics class, some 30y ago, the centripetal force (centri=centre, petere=to search, to ask, to seek) is the force that keeps you rotating at fixed range (=radius) in a uniform circular movement.
In the case of earth - a solid sphere - the only force that is truely centripetal is gravity.
There is a centrifugal (pseudo?) force, countering the centripetal force, directed in opposite direction, caused by your mass and the speed of rotation.
In order for an object to stay at the surface of a bigger, rotating sphere, the centripetal force (=gravity) must be bigger than the centrifugal (=due to rotation speed) one.

So, the question is I guess about the centrifugal force, not centripetal force.

real weight = weight due to gravity - centrifugal force.

There might also be some inertial force involved, but my physic memories about it are too blured.

[Ecthy]

*affect

[Lorizael]

Originally posted by Asher
Where's KrazyHorse and GP?

Don't know about GP, but KH is gone until October 17th. Wonder if I can keep the thread going that long.

[Ari Rahikkala]

I prefer you didn't.

[Lorizael]

Thanks for the bump.

[Asher]

Best thread ever, or bestest thread evar?