Is there a Gravity-Free Spot at Earth's Center?

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In summary, the conversation discussed the possibility of a point in the center of the Earth where gravity would cancel out, making someone weightless if they were the right size. However, due to the non-uniformity of the Earth's composition and the constant movements on its surface, this point is virtually impossible to find. The force of the sun and moon were also mentioned as factors to consider. Some suggested a mathematical approach to solving the problem, concluding that theoretically, there would be no gravity at the center of the Earth if no other forces were present.
  • #1
The Green Giant
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Hi,

I was wondering if in the middle of the Earth (the VERY) center, there would be a spot that had no gravity, that would be like space,where if you were the right size you would be weightless. PLZ HELP! THX!
 
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  • #2
no matter where you are in the Earth there will be the force of gravity. theoretically if you were in the complete center of the Earth the forces of gravity would cancel themselves out, but this is untrue being the Earth isn't a perfect sphere and isn't composed of the same materials throughout. also the fact that on the surface of the Earth objects are always moving means that a point at which no gravity exist would be impossible to find. there is a possibility of such said point to exist on a very small level but the amount of time that it would exist would make use of it totally useless.
 
  • #3
Even when you look at atomic scale gravity is there. It just is extremely little that it was originally ignored in the standard model...
 
  • #4
I think that yes, there is a region where gravity cancels out, and that if it wasn't so hot and dense, someone could float around in there. Movements on the surface of the Earth would be too far away to matter. And while mass distribution in the Earth isn't perfectly uniform, I think the nonuniformity is mostly on the surface, which is relatively thin, and would only result in a real slight offset between the gravitationnal and geometrical centers. I imagine though, that someone would feel an odd, but bearable sensation of our body wanting to "stretch" slightly in all direction, since there would be a sizeable fraction of g in all directions.
 
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  • #6
DID EVERYBODY forget about the SUN and The MOON. if you are at the centre, even if all gravity cancels out, the force of the sun is still pullin on you and the force of the moon.
 
  • #7
True, but you would still experience weightlessness.
 
  • #8
Lets solve this mathematically..

Acceleration due to gravity inside the Earth:
g' = ( r / re )g

r represents the radius of the point inside
re represents the radius of the earth

So, if we are in the center of the earth...

g' = (0/6378000)*9.81

g' = 0

So, theoretically, there is no gravity.

Note - This is only if no other force of gravity is added.
 

1. What is a gravity-free spot?

A gravity-free spot, also known as a "point of zero gravity," is a location where the force of gravity is equal to zero. This means that objects placed at this spot will not be pulled towards the center of the Earth.

2. Is there really a gravity-free spot at Earth's center?

No, there is currently no known location at Earth's center where gravity is completely absent. The force of gravity is caused by the mass of an object, so as long as the Earth has mass, there will always be some level of gravity present.

3. Why do some people believe there is a gravity-free spot at Earth's center?

Some people believe that there is a gravity-free spot at Earth's center because of a common misconception that the Earth is hollow. This idea has been perpetuated in literature and movies, but it has no scientific basis.

4. Can gravity be canceled out at Earth's center?

No, gravity cannot be canceled out at Earth's center. Even if there were a hollow space at the center of the Earth, the mass of the Earth's outer layers would still exert a gravitational force on objects at the center.

5. Are there any places on Earth where gravity is weaker?

Yes, there are places on Earth where the force of gravity is slightly weaker due to variations in the Earth's mass distribution. However, these differences are very small and would not be noticeable to the average person.

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