Why's radial acceleration zero at north pole

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around the concept of radial acceleration, specifically comparing the radial acceleration at the equator and the north pole of the Earth. The original poster computes the radial acceleration at the equator and finds a value, while questioning why the radial acceleration at the north pole is zero.

Discussion Character

  • Conceptual clarification, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants explore the reasons behind the zero radial acceleration at the north pole, with some discussing the implications of being at the center of rotation and questioning the nature of forces involved at different latitudes.

Discussion Status

The discussion includes various perspectives on the nature of radial acceleration, with some participants providing insights into the relationship between centripetal force and radial distance. There is no explicit consensus, but multiple interpretations and clarifications are being explored.

Contextual Notes

Some participants note potential misunderstandings regarding the calculations and definitions of acceleration versus velocity, indicating a need for clarity in the problem setup.

SS2006
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a)Compute hte radial acceleration of a point at the equator of the earth. b)repeat for the north pole of hte earth. Take the radius of the eartk to be 6370 km.

so for a) i got 9.9337 m/s square which is right
but for b) the answer is just zero
why?
 
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You are at the "center" of rotation. You really are not moving anywhere are you? Just spinning...
 
Whoa!

What Force could cause an acceleration as quick as 9.934 m/s^2 ?

I don't recall having to be tied down in Equador, to stay on the ground. (;->
 
lightgrav said:
Whoa!

What Force could cause an acceleration as quick as 9.934 m/s^2 ?

I don't recall having to be tied down in Equador, to stay on the ground. (;->

Yeah, but have you actually ever BEEN to the equator? ;)
 
SS2006 said:
a)Compute hte radial acceleration of a point at the equator of the earth. b)repeat for the north pole of hte earth. Take the radius of the eartk to be 6370 km.

so for a) i got 9.9337 m/s square which is right
but for b) the answer is just zero
why?

Your part "a" isn't correct it says you need to find the acceleration not velocity, the velocity you find also incorrect.
 
hey.there's zero acceleration at poles because the R in the mrw^2 is approaching zero.or rather zero in this case.as it reaches the pole, the centripetal radius becomes zero, Fc=0 therefore, no acceleration.hope this helps.heh I'm new here.
 

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