4 ms·
If you weren't accounting for earths rotation, the area with lowest gravity would be near the equator due to the larger distance to earths center.
by jcattle 8mo ago
If you weren't accounting for earths rotation, the area with lowest gravity would be near the equator due to the larger distance to earths center.
- RupertSalt 8mo agoSo that distance implies a higher volume of stuff that you're standing on top of, but the mass of the stuff is what counts for gravitational attraction.
- jcattle 8mo agoYes, the mass and you distance to it counts. And one of the biggest influences on that mass in absolute terms is earths very dense inner and outer cores. Due to the "equatorial bulge" (actual term) you are further away from that heavy center, than at the equator. And due to the inverse square law, you lose intensity of that gravitational force very quickly, the further you are away. Hence: the smallest gravitational force you get is on a mountain in the Andes near the equator.
- addaon 8mo agoIf you weren't accounting for earth's rotation, why would points on the equator have a larger difference to earth's center?
- jcattle 8mo agoBecause due to rotation the earth bulges outward at the equator. The actual term is "Equatorial bulge". Due to that "equatorial bulge" you are further away from earths dense center, than at the equator. And due to the inverse square law, you lose intensity of that gravitational force very quickly, the further you are away. Hence: the smallest gravitational force you get is on a mountain in the Andes near the equator.