Question on gravitation and rotation of the Earth

In summary, the conversation discusses a problem involving a suspended body on a spring balance on a ship sailing at a certain speed on the equator. The question is about the scale reading on the spring balance, which is expressed as a multiple of the angular speed of the Earth, ##\omega_0##. The conversation includes equations and calculations, with the final answer being expressed as a multiple of ##\omega_0## after discarding some third order terms. There is also a discussion about the value of g used in the calculations and how it accounts for the centripetal force due to the rotation of the Earth.
  • #1
AakashPandita
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0

Homework Statement


A body is suspended on a spring balance in a ship sailing along the equator with a speed ## v' ## . If ## \omega ## is the angular speed of the Earth and ## \omega_0 ## is the scale reading when the ship is at rest , the scale reading when the ship is sailing, will be very close to
(a) ## \omega_0 ##
(b) ## (\omega_0)(1 + \frac { 2 \omega v'}{g}) ##
(c) ## (\omega_0)(1 \mp \frac { 2 \omega v'}{g}) ##
(d)none of these

Homework Equations


Let mass of object be m
Radius of Earth be R.
Tension in spring balance=Reading in spring balance = ## \omega_0 ##
Tension be T when ship not sailing and Tension be T' when ship is sailing

When ship is not sailing
## mg - T = m (\omega)^2 R ##
When ship is sailing
## mg - T' = m (\omega \mp v'/R)^2 R ##
I solved for T' but the answer is not coming.
I could show the working but latex is hard to write.
 
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  • #2
AakashPandita said:
I could show the working but latex is hard to write.
But if you don't post your working nobody can tell where you are going wrong.
 
  • #3
IMG_20150501_033610.jpg
 

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  • #4
That's fine so far, but notice that in the answers everything is expressed as a multiple of ##\omega_0##. Get your answer into that form. (You will probably also need to discard some third order term.)
 
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  • #5
Wait a minute. Doesn't the value of g that we use account for the centripetal force due to rotation of earth? Is ## g- (\omega)^2 R =g ## using approximation? If yes then how?
 
  • #6
I got the answer. Thanks a lot.
 

1. How does the force of gravity affect the rotation of the Earth?

The force of gravity is what keeps the Earth in its orbit around the sun. It also affects the rotation of the Earth by creating a bulge at the equator, causing the Earth to be slightly wider at the equator than at the poles. This bulge causes the Earth to spin slightly faster at the equator compared to the poles.

2. What causes the Earth to rotate?

The rotation of the Earth is caused by its initial spin and the conservation of angular momentum. When the Earth was formed, it had a certain amount of angular momentum due to the materials that came together to create it. As the Earth continues to rotate, this momentum is conserved, keeping the Earth spinning in its current direction.

3. How does the rotation of the Earth affect its shape?

The rotation of the Earth causes it to have a slightly flattened shape at the poles and a bulge at the equator. This is due to the centrifugal force created by the rotation, which pulls outward at the equator and pushes inward at the poles. This results in an oblate spheroid shape for the Earth.

4. Does the rotation of the Earth affect its gravitational pull?

Yes, the rotation of the Earth does affect its gravitational pull. The centrifugal force created by the rotation causes objects at the equator to experience slightly less gravitational pull compared to objects at the poles. This is because the Earth's rotation counteracts some of the gravitational force at the equator.

5. How does the rotation of the Earth impact its day and night cycle?

The rotation of the Earth is what causes day and night to occur. As the Earth rotates on its axis, different parts of the Earth are facing towards or away from the sun, creating the day and night cycle. The rotation also affects the length of the day, which is approximately 24 hours due to the Earth's specific rotation speed.

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