Because if you did come out the other side then you would be falling up...right?
2006-08-01 06:20:51 · 16 answers · asked by Mann 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Earth Sciences & Geology
Leave out all the obvious stuff like hot hot the core is, if the core were cool, could you come out the other side?
2006-08-01 06:36:44 · update #1
this is a good question. It's actually pretty standard in a mechanics class when dealing with simple harmonic motion.
assume we could drill a hole through the earth, neglect air resistance and assume the earth isn't rotating...or assume that the hole is drilled through the axis of rotation...if you dropped something in the hole, it would accelerate toward the center of the earth, obviously, but what this means is, the object will speed up as it approaches the center of the earth, and slow down as it leaves the center of the earth. When it reaches the other side of the planet it will stop right at the surface (the same elevation at which it was dropped), and then turn around and fall through the earth again. The object eventually comes back to where it was dropped. So if you jumped in the hole, you would eventually return to the place you jumped from. If there's no friction, like we assumed, this oscillation continues indefinitely.
Of course you're ignoring a huge number of complications. You could, in principle, build a simulation of this in the relative vacuum of interstellar space and it would be able to oscillate for many years. Even in these ideal conditions it would stop oscillating eventually after a few billion years though because an oscillating mass sets up gravitational waves which carry energy away from the system.
2006-08-01 06:56:28 · answer #1 · answered by idiuss 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Gravity exists because all masses attract each other - the Earth is attracting you as much as you are attracting it - but as every body has a centre of mass - the centre of pull or the force exerted on you would be from that centre of mass of the Earth. So, you will not come out of the other side - you will stick to that point in your hole which is closest to the centre of mass of Earth -probably being pulled towards it - which might make you stick to the wall of your hole. Interesting question - by the way.
2006-08-01 06:44:34 · answer #2 · answered by Iluvharrypotter_tonima 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ignoring the heat and pressure effects, which would be lethal, here's what would happen...
Your momentum would carry you almost to the top of the second hole, then you would drop back though the Earth again. You would essentially continue this process, rising less and less each time; swinging back and forth like a pendulum until to came to rest at the Earth's center.
The real questions are: 1. How long would this require? 2. What would take to eat along the way? and 3. How would you get back out?
Good luck.
2006-08-01 06:37:29 · answer #3 · answered by stevenB 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
even if you assume that the centre of the earth is cold enough to let you pass through, you will not emerge through the other side, because the gravitational force will pull you back, when you cross the mid point. on your trip back again, the gravitational force will pull you back, when you cross the midpoint. thus you will go up and down for some time till the velocity of your movement becomes less than the force of the gravitational pull, and you will be lodged at mid point.
2006-08-01 07:02:57 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. Physical reason is high pressure, and temperature will kill you. If we omit the effects of those in a hypothetical situation then you will be yo yo ing and then end up in the center of the earth. You know what. You will be weightless. The gravity is maximum at the surface and zero at the center of the earth.
2006-08-01 06:25:34 · answer #5 · answered by Dr M 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When you reach the earth's molten core you would melt. Sounds like a great idea for a movie though.
2006-08-02 13:36:35 · answer #6 · answered by Kevin H 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, you will eventually find yourself in the center of the Earth, where the heat and pressure will convert your carbon into a very little diamond and vaporize the rest of the elements composing your body.
2006-08-01 06:36:09 · answer #7 · answered by Amphibolite 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can't dig a hole from one side of the earth to the other...there is something called magma about 20 miles under the earth's surface.....and it will burn you...and kill you.....so it is physically impossible to dig from one side to the other.....we learned that in 1st grade ;)
2006-08-01 06:26:55 · answer #8 · answered by ~*Sarah*~ 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
alright here it is if you could dig a hole from one side of the planet to the other. You wouldn't have a chance to jump in because the planet would implode...collapse on itself. wouldn't that be fun.
2006-08-01 06:47:29 · answer #9 · answered by James R 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
THE CORE OF THE EARTH IS SO HOT THAT EVEN IF U ARE 100KM NEAR IT U WILL MELT OFF. AND WHERE DO U EXPECT TO GO THRU IT AND COME OUT. PRACTICALLY NOT POSSIBLE
2006-08-01 06:33:46 · answer #10 · answered by REWA 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋