Coriolis force canceling out gravity

[arnesmeets]

Arne wants to move in Leuven (54°N) with such a high speed that the vertical component of the Coriolis force cancels out the gravitational force. In which direction should he move to keep his speed as small as possible? How big is this speed? How big is the horizontal component of the Coriolis force?

I don't have a clue how to get started on this

 

[OlderDan]

Arne wants to move in Leuven (54°N) with such a high speed that the vertical component of the Coriolis force cancels out the gravitational force. In which direction should he move to keep his speed as small as possible? How big is this speed? How big is the horizontal component of the Coriolis force?

I don't have a clue how to get started on this

Do you know what the Coriolis force is, and how it is related to the rotation of the earth? Set up a coordinate system at Leuven with perhaps x to the East and y to the North and z vertical (a typcial choice) and express the relevant vectors in this coordinate system. Calculate the Coriolis force in terms of the velocity and rotation rate and find out which components of velocity contribute to the vertical component of force. Take it from there.