I mean right through to the other end of the planet, and somebody jumped down it, how long would they be falling DOWN the way before they were falling UP the way. Surely once you fell past the centre of the earth every thing would be the other way up due to gravity?
2007-02-12 01:04:04 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
Do you think you'd go up and down like a yo-yo?
2007-02-12 01:15:58 · update #1
You would fall to the middle of the earth, overshoot slightly due to inertia, be slowed by the force of gravity (back towards the centre of the earth), then travel in the opposite direction, continuing this process until you reach a state of equilibrium, at the centre of the earth (similar to a weight on a peice of elastic, where the rest point would be the equivalent to the centre of the earth). Contrary to popular belief, you would not be squashed, as gravity is strongest at the surface of the earth. If you take account of the fact that it is the mass of the earth causing gravity, when you are below the surface of the earth you would have a mass above you, pulling you upwards and this cancelling out a portion of gravity. This would increase until you reach the centre of the earth, when the forces in all direction would cancel eath other out.
And unfortunately due to the high temperature at the centre of the earth you would then melt, catch fire, or something similarly uncomfortable.
2007-02-12 14:54:49 · answer #1 · answered by steveflatman 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't think you'd come out the other end.
You'd pretty much stop in the middle.
At the end of your 'ride' you be in zero gravity, - floating in the center of the earth.
You'd be falling around 120 miles an hour, due to the gravity at the surface, - but as you got closer to the center, - gravity would be less, - and the wind resistance would slow you down. By the time you got to the center, - only the momentum of your body would have you travel a little bit further, -then gravity would have you pulled back to the center.
If you were falling in a perfect vacuum, you'd make it to the opposite side of the earth.
2007-02-12 01:12:24 · answer #2 · answered by MK6 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I order for this to work the hole would have to make a perfectly divisible diameter of the earth. This means that you would have to have the same distance from one side to the center of the earth to an etrance/exit to the hole as the other distance from the center of the earth to the exit. If you are just a few feet off then you will be pulled back to the center and be perpentually stuck in the center of the earth. If you get the distance just right then it will take several days to fall. By the way, there could also be no curves in this hole.
2007-02-12 02:04:08 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
In the absence of air resistance, molten core etc. etc. you would accelerate towards the centre of the earth and pass through it after about 22 minutes. Then you would start decelerating and reach the other side of the earth after another 22 minutes. Your speed as you pass through the centre would be 17,500 mph. You would then begin your return journey and arrive back where you started about 90 minutes after you first jumped into the hole. Then you would start the whole process again...
2007-02-12 10:32:42 · answer #4 · answered by Martin 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
on condition which you're no longer overwhelmed via the stress, and that there is not any air friction once you bounce - then sure you will fall right away via and purely fairly attain the different section. - simply by fact gravity will strengthen up you to the middle, and then decelerate you once you attitude the different element of the earth. regrettably, you do understand that the middle of the earth is made out of molten chocolate, although, good?
2016-09-29 00:15:03 · answer #5 · answered by schiraldi 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What a brilliant question but I've no idea of the answer. One thing is though, you'd be pretty much dead at some point in the 'drop'
2007-02-12 01:12:25 · answer #6 · answered by Angelfish 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
U may reach the other end of the earth in 84.6 minutes
2007-02-12 01:23:32 · answer #7 · answered by Hermione 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It would probably be a moot point when you reached the centre and all that heat. You would be discussing what your ashes did.
2007-02-12 02:15:22 · answer #8 · answered by Elizabeth Howard 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
lol you'd get squished in the middle by gravity
2007-02-12 01:05:21 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
you may get squished but the resulting mush would continue to fly upwards - I would say it will take at least 2 hours....perhaps 3.
2007-02-12 01:08:47 · answer #10 · answered by Lord Onion 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋