Suppose if there was a massive hole that went right through the centre of a planet, and someone dropped an object down that hole, what happens to the object? Will it come out the other side? or will it remain stationary at the centre?
2007-07-25 00:57:23 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
Alright, alright. Maybe not a planet, but something that had the size and shape of one.
2007-07-25 01:09:23 · update #1
It would go all the way through passed the center, slow down, stop at the other end (somewhere in Asia), and then come back in the other direction again. It would oscillate like this until it either stopped at the center of the earth, or (due to lack of friction) would just keep oscillating forever.
2007-07-25 01:03:26 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
First,it's not a very good idea that there can be such a hole that goes right through the center of a planet.If there were one like this,then the question should be"What kind of power could let this thing happen?"Imagine a meteorite coming straight down to a planet and trying to create a hole like this,the planet would soon separate into small pieces,and every part of the planet would stay relative independent,simply like the planet itself before.So that nobody would be able to drop an object then.Unless the planet is born of iron or something really firm.
Next,if there were really a hole as you mentioned,everything would be swallowed into it to fill the space until the hole was full enough that the planet could be round again.So who knows where the object will be?If it "falls" at first,it probably will stay at the center .
2007-07-25 10:45:18 · answer #2 · answered by blue-chocolate h 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think it would eventually remain at the center of the Earth. Only after it passed over it of few times. It would eventually settle in the center. My concept of gravity is a little different though. They say the Earth is spinning at over 2000 MPH ,yet it is so large it takes 24 hours to turn around one time. This is pretty crazy. Imagine a little ball spinning that fast. That means that the smallest part of the Earth which is the center is actually spinning like that little ball. That would explain the magnetic field around us. Because of all the metal inside the Earth it is being magnetized from the friction. Causing the North and South poles to exist. This is also why we have lightning and storms. But why aren't we being thrown off the planets at that rate of speed? This is why. Gravity is really not the pull of the Earth that Sir Isacc Newton discovered...LOL Gravity is actually the weight of the dark matter in space. If you blow a bubble underwater and watch it come to the surface, as it travels through the water it will form the shape of a sphere. This is because the weight of the water is pushing upon the air causing it to make a sphere. Now lets take this concept to space. What shape are all the planets? That's right a sphere...Even the Sun is pressed into a sphere....Think about it, I have. Just another independent thinker who doesn't think the world is flat. I also believe the universe as a whole, is a sphere. Don't tell anyone this, it's our secret. From the Alien who knows. Out here in the parameter their are no stars.......
2007-07-25 08:20:34 · answer #3 · answered by Daniel R 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Assuming that the planet was homogeneous (not likely but have to assume that for simplicity - or else you have to ask, "which planet?"): the object would oscillate back and forth like a mass on a spring, accelerating towards the centre of the planet and then slowing down as it approached the opposite surface. Then "falling" back in towards the centre, accelerating and then slowing again and stopping at the opposite surface. This is called "simple harmonic motion"
2007-07-25 08:10:29 · answer #4 · answered by don d 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Remember gravity is like a magnet, therefore in a perfect suitution as you stated, the object will hang on to the core of the planet. Meaning it will be touching the core or it will be stationary at the centre.
2007-07-25 08:42:50 · answer #5 · answered by year 12 student 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
xjmox is correct. gravity pulls objects toward the center of the Earth. once it passed the center point, the force of gravity would begin slowing it down until its velocity reached zero. Then it would fall back the other way. In a vacuum an object could oscillate forever from one side of the planet to the other. In the presence of an atmosphere, the limitations of terminal velocity and drag will eventually cause the object to stop in the center of the Earth.
2007-07-25 08:16:36 · answer #6 · answered by James L 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It will ocillate in simple hormonic motion with the center as equilibrium position.
The two holes are the extreme position for the motion.
2007-07-25 08:11:58 · answer #7 · answered by Pearlsawme 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
well it depends on the object, maybe it wont even go to the center because it will melt because of the heat, but there should be some math equation that you could use depending on the conditions u put in your problem to solve it.
2007-07-25 08:05:14 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Whatever object you throw down there, it would burn up due to the heat of the core down there.
2007-07-25 08:06:37 · answer #9 · answered by Tim R 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
What made you think of that?!? Well i'm guessing it would stay in the centre - other wise it would then be falling up and it can't do that, can it? :)
2007-07-25 08:01:48 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋