Perceived Weight on Earthlike Planet w/ Faster Rotation

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the perceived weight of objects on an earthlike planet with significantly higher mass and varying rotation speeds. Participants explore the effects of centrifugal force on gravity and how different rotation periods might influence perceived weight.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Mathematical reasoning

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants propose that centrifugal force could offset gravitational force, potentially altering perceived weight on a rapidly rotating planet.
  • One participant references an article suggesting that Earth's rotation would need to be significantly increased (to about 1.409 hours per rotation) to negate 1G of gravity, although this is debated.
  • Another participant challenges the assumptions in the article, noting that it neglects the deformation of Earth due to rotation, which complicates the calculations of effective gravity and centrifugal forces.
  • A participant shares their own calculations, indicating that even with a fast rotation, gravity could not be completely eliminated, with a minimum apparent gravity of 5.6 m/s² achievable under certain conditions.
  • Concerns are raised about the structural integrity of a planet rotating at high speeds, suggesting it might be torn apart before achieving a balance between gravitational and centrifugal forces.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the relationship between centrifugal force and gravity, with no consensus reached on whether and how perceived weight can be fully offset by rotation. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the feasibility of completely negating gravitational effects through rotation.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include assumptions about the homogeneity of the planet and the complexities introduced by its deformation during rapid rotation, which are not fully addressed in the calculations presented.

Steve Manning
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<mentor moved thread>

Suppose humans could travel quickly through deep space and are in search of an earthlike planet. A perfect planet is found, with the exception that its mass is huge, such that a human weighing x EarthKilos on Earth (1 G) now feels like he weighs 3x EarthKilos. So the strain on bodily parts might make this planet uninhabitable. And let's assume this new planet rotates once every 24 Earth hours. Would there be any difference in the perceived weight of an object, if that planet rotated every 15 hours, 10 hours, 5 hours, etc. ? Does centrifugal force have an offsetting force to gravity?
 
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Steve Manning said:
Summary:: Is gravity offset by rotational forces?

<mentor moved thread>

Suppose humans could travel quickly through deep space and are in search of an earthlike planet. A perfect planet is found, with the exception that its mass is huge, such that a human weighing x EarthKilos on Earth (1 G) now feels like he weighs 3x EarthKilos. So the strain on bodily parts might make this planet uninhabitable. And let's assume this new planet rotates once every 24 Earth hours. Would there be any difference in the perceived weight of an object, if that planet rotated every 15 hours, 10 hours, 5 hours, etc. ? Does centrifugal force have an offsetting force to gravity?
Yes, effective gravity on Earth is slightly less than it would be if the Earth were not spinning.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravity_of_Earth#Latitude
 
jim mcnamara said:
Here is short discussion/calculation for "negating" 1G by speeding up Earth's rotation. The article states that the length of a full day for Earth would be 1.409 hours:
https://www.quora.com/How-fast-woul...ancel-out-our-gravity-At-least-at-the-equator

It doesn't work that way. The article neglects the deformation of Earth due to the rotation. This deformation affects both the gravity and the centrifugal forces. That makes the calculation extremely difficult.

When I tried it for a homogeneous "Earth" I got a minimum length of the day of 2 hours and 40 minutes. At this point the minimum apparent gravity was still 5.6 m/s². I don't think that it can be completely eliminated. I didn't manage to decrease it below 3 m/s². Beyond that point there seems to be no hydrostatic equilibrium anymore.

The real Earth is not homogeneous, but I wouldn't behave completely different. It would just rotate a bit faster. I expect it to be ripped apart long before the surface gravity is completely compensated by centrifugal forces.
 

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