Centrieptal accleration and the poles of the earth

[huhmattg]

Why does centripetal acceleration effect your weight at say that equator but not at the poles? Does it effect but just to a small extent?

 

[mezarashi]

At the poles, you are participating in the circular motion around the axis of rotation of the Earth. When you are at the equation, you are in circular motion. Remember the equations concerning circular motion? Some force is needed to keep you in orbit. You can experience something similar when you are on a roller coaster (at the top of the loop).

 

[quicknote]

Centripetal acceleration is the acceleration directed towards the center of a circular motion. At the equator, the Earth is constantly rotating, which creates a centripetal acceleration towards the center of the Earth. This results in a slightly lower weight compared to the poles, where the Earth's rotation is minimal.

At the poles, the effect of centripetal acceleration on weight is negligible because the Earth's rotation is almost non-existent at these points. The Earth's rotation is the highest at the equator, causing a greater centripetal acceleration and thus a slightly lower weight.

However, it is important to note that centripetal acceleration does affect weight at all points on Earth, albeit to a very small extent. This is due to the fact that the Earth is not a perfect sphere and has variations in its density and shape. These variations can result in slight differences in the strength of centripetal acceleration at different points on Earth, leading to small variations in weight.

In conclusion, centripetal acceleration does affect weight at all points on Earth, but the effect is more noticeable at the equator due to the Earth's rotation. At the poles, the effect is minimal due to the lower rotation speed of the Earth.