OK always in theory. Lets say that it would be long enough to extend beyong the earth's magnetic field. Would it weight less if we used a scale to measure its weight? (Less than what it would weight if it was in pieces and within the earth's magnetic field.)
2006-10-19 14:34:45 · 8 answers · asked by Nostromo 5 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
Sorry, Rich Z is right, gravitational field!
2006-10-19 14:37:38 · update #1
Let's say all rungs of the ladder are identical. The gravitational force on each rung is -GMm/r^2 where r is the distance between the center of the earth and the center of the rung. If the bottom rung weighs a pound, the rung 4000 miles up weighs a quarter of a pound. Yes, the weight of this ladder is less than the weight of all its parts on the earth's surface.
The ladder can never be long enough to leave the gravitational field of the earth. But if it reached much of the way to the sun, it would be weightless. If it reached all the way to the sun, it would have a negative weight on earth.
2006-10-19 19:24:16 · answer #1 · answered by Frank N 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. The closer to the earth's surface, the greater the gravitational field.
Even though the ladder is still connected as one piece, the higher sections of the ladder would weigh less the further from the earth they extended. At some point, the top of the ladder would be weightless.
2006-10-19 21:52:10 · answer #2 · answered by LeAnne 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What youve stumbled across is the base concept of a space elevator. A long cable,(or your ladder), is extended from the surface of the earth, deep into space. At the end of this cable or ribbon there is a large mass. Once this cable and mass are in orbit, the centripetal force will keep tension on the cable, pulling it into space requiring the cable to be anchored. So the cable would "weigh" nothing on earth. This concept is the same as any other object in orbit, except much of the mass is spread out over the cable. Once this cable is in place vehicles could slowly climb it into space making lifting to orbit much easier.
If I didnt explain it well enough, imagine tying a rope around the moon and pulling it tight. The moon is so big were not going to pull it down, so we could use that rope to climb up.
2006-10-19 21:57:41 · answer #3 · answered by Answer guy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think you are confusing the earth's magnetic field with its gravitational field. The magnetic field effects only iron and steel which most ladders (even theoretical ones) aren't usually made from. The gravitational field extends outward from the earth and just gets weaker with distance but is never completely gone. So it would weigh the same, in theory.
2006-10-19 21:36:33 · answer #4 · answered by Rich Z 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I believe you would need to know the length. While it will never be completely out of earth's gravitational field, gravity will approach and be quite close to zero as you get farther away... yet it will weigh more and more in pieces on earth the farther you go, so it will very with ladder lengths, and the longer the ladder the more dramatic the change.
2006-10-19 22:50:02 · answer #5 · answered by metropolispt314 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sorry, not a theorist.
There is a guy who is using nano fibers to make an "elevator" to space. search for " Geosynchronous Orbital Tether"
http://www.sciencentral.com/articles/view.php3?language=english&type=article&article_id=218392162
2006-10-19 22:19:01 · answer #6 · answered by NoPoaching 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes
2006-10-19 21:37:15 · answer #7 · answered by lickitysplit 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No!
2006-10-19 21:41:41 · answer #8 · answered by bprice215 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋