Re: Centrifugal force - real or fictitious

From: Donald G. Shead (dcshead_at_charter.net)
Date: 07/21/04 

Date: 21 Jul 2004 04:38:16 -0700

"JM Albuquerque" <jm.aREMOV.E@sapo.pt> wrote in message news:<2m4nbhFj7l1mU1@uni-berlin.de>...
> "Donald G. Shead" wrote:
>
> > What's harder to understand is how centrifugal force causes the Earth
> > to bulge at the equator, and the rate of free fall to be less there:
>
> Earth bulge at equator is due to a REAL centrifugal force:
> http://observe.arc.nasa.gov/nasa/space/centrifugal/centrifugal4.html
> http://observe.arc.nasa.gov/nasa/space/centrifugal/centrifugal5.html
> The rate of free fall is less because the distance to Earth center increases
> and gravity decreases at the square of the distance.
> The tidal opposite Ocean bulge also is due to centrifugal force.
> (see NOAA explanation).
>
> > To some, centrifugal force isn't considered a real force as such,
> > because if it was, masses would be thrown off into space due to
> > Earth's rotation.
> >
> > Such people can't see that it's a matter of _equilibrium_; that as
> > long as the centripetal force is greater than the centrifugal force,
> > mass will gravitate.
>
> NASA explains it all about centrifugal force starting here:
> http://observe.arc.nasa.gov/nasa/space/centrifugal/centrifugal_entry.html
>
> The problem is that nobody can explain what inertia is.

I've been explaining it for quite a while: It's simply the measure of
a quantity of matter: The ratio of the impulse [ft] exerted on and/or
by that quantity of matter, divided by the rate of displacement [s/t]
that it causes: Most concisely written as [ft^2/s]; which is equal to
the product of two times the weight [w] of the quantity of matter,
divided by the rate at which it will freefall [g = s/t^2 - 16'/sec^2
on Earth] at the location of the scale on which it is weighed: ft^2/s
= 2w/g.

> Because most of the people don't like to show their ignorance they simply
> avoid the problem by means of the equivalence principle.
> Then they are like parrots after reading the book.
> Don't ask intelligent questions to a parrot.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Aberation and the Speed of Gravity
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  • Re: Aberation and the Speed of Gravity
    ... Centrifugal force is based on treating a Rotating Frame of Reference as if ... This, among other reasons, is why physics teaches us to avoid using the ... The earth is attempting to ... earth moving in a straight line and gravity can ONLY act perpendicular ...
    (sci.physics.relativity)
  • Re: Aberation and the Speed of Gravity
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    (sci.physics.relativity)
  • Re: Centrifugal force - real or fictitious
    ... >> What's harder to understand is how centrifugal force causes the Earth ... > Earth bulge at equator is due to a REAL centrifugal force: ...
    (sci.physics)
  • Re: Aberation and the Speed of Gravity
    ... F_friction = centrifugal force * friction coefficient ... act on Earth. ... Nevertheless Earth conserves its full angular momentum ... Here, on Earth, conservation of angular momentum ...
    (sci.physics.relativity)