- #1
DBirk
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Homework Statement
Will a frictionless body placed on the Earth move, and if so, describe it's path and acceleration.
Homework Equations
I was given no equations, but I believe that coriolis and centripetal forces would act on the body.
The Attempt at a Solution
I assume that we have to assume an initial velocity of 0 relative to the earth. However, from an external reference frame, the body would appear to be moving as a point on the earth. At the equator this would be approx 1040 mph. However, at latitude angle φ this would decrease as you move towards a pole to cosφ.
The coriolis acceleration, centripetal acceleration, gravity and a force normal to the Earth's surface would act on the body. I assume that gravity and the force normal to the Surface would cancel each other out, but I am not certain. I am having trouble identifying an equation that would capture all of these forces on the body.