Okay smartie pants, please help with the enclosed question?

Question

If there's a hole straight through the earth, from the south pole to the north pole, and you jump through it what would happen? would you keep falling forever, or fall back down when you get to the middle, or is it physically impossible?

Answer 1

You would fall toward the center of the earth, building up speed all the way. After shooting through the center, you'd slowly decelerate until you came to a stop.

If you neglect air resistance you'd have enough velocity to rise all the way to the surface at the opposite pole. You'd oscillate back and forth between the two poles forever.

One way to think about this situation is this: You would be in (an infinitely eccentric) orbit around the Earth's center of mass.

Answer 2

If your 'magic' hole was air-conditioned you would fall (accelerate to terminal velocity) until about the mid-way point and then gradually decelerate as you near the other end. When you came to a stop, the Earth's gravity would then pull you back through the hole in much the same manner, but with slightly less force on each trip through until finally you would float weightless at the very center of the Earth, since the Earth's mass would be more or less evenly distributed in all directions around you.

Answer 3

This ? comes up about once a month. Assuming no air resistance and temp isn't a problem, you will oscillate back and forth from one surface to the other. The period of oscillation is ~84 min for one round trip. Be ready for a thrilling trip--you will reach nearly 18,000 mph as you pass by the center of the earth!

Here's the kicker: the hole doesn't have to be through the center. It can be any angle you want, and the period will be the same--84 min. Of course, the centered hole will give the highest velocity at the center and cover the longest distance.

Answer 4

Assuming that you have plenty of air and that the heat and pressure of the core isn't a problem, you would yo-yo...in other words you would jump in and build up speed until you hit terminal velocity due to gravity pulling you towards the center. As you reach the center your speed would carry you to the other side, but gravity would now be pulling in the opposite direction. Therefore you would slow and begin to "fall" back the other way. This would continue until your momentum was zero. At that point you would find yourself in the center...most likely burnt to a crisp by the heat and crushed into a tiny mass by the immense pressure.

Answer 5

Because gravity seems to pull from the core of the Earth you would fall to the center and momentum might allow you to go past it for a little bit but you would return back to the center......You would never see it though. You would burn to death miles before you get there.

Answer 6

I think its really impossible do to the fact the center is probably liquid. but if it were the you would yo-yo back and forth between the poles until you came to rest at the center of the earth.

Answer 7

Many years ago after consuming some better than average mind altering substances I experienced this exact scenario. Obviously my presence here today should indicate to you that indeed I did reach the other side and had to take a taxi back home.

Answer 8

I think you would get stuck because you would have the gravity from both sides of the earth pushing you down. Pack a lunch if you decide to jump.

Answer 9

Okay sassy pants
The fall would make your brains turn into a pile of mush.
Why don't we address the REAL question at hand here? It's all about your obsession with poles darlin'. ;)

Answer 10

That's Mr. Smartie pants to you. Gravity would keep you in the middle. Is that the core of your question?