Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology => Topic started by: chris on 11/01/2008 00:31:10

Title: Do I Weigh Less at the Equator than at the Poles due to "Centrifugal" Force?
Post by: chris on 11/01/2008 00:31:10

I was asked this question and I wonder whether anyone has any figures they can put to it please?

Chris

Title: Do I Weigh Less at the Equator than at the Poles due to "Centrifugal" Force?
Post by: lightarrow on 11/01/2008 12:10:01

Quote from: chris on 11/01/2008 00:31:10

I was asked this question and I wonder whether anyone has any figures they can put to it please?

Chris

The answer to the question is yes, but not only because of centrifugal force, because of pole buckling too.
I found this pictures: 9.78 m/s² at the Equator and 9.83 m/s² at the poles.

Title: Do I Weigh Less at the Equator than at the Poles due to "Centrifugal" Force?
Post by: syhprum on 11/01/2008 16:59:10

May I suggest that if you are buying anything real expensive like polonium 206 or antimatter or vanilla essence you have it weighed out with a scale calibrated against a standard mass with all this variation in 'G' that we have discussed

Title: Do I Weigh Less at the Equator than at the Poles due to "Centrifugal" Force?
Post by: lyner on 11/01/2008 23:26:29

Yes; a balance rather than a spring.

Title: Do I Weigh Less at the Equator than at the Poles due to "Centrifugal" Force?
Post by: Bored chemist on 12/01/2008 14:56:34

Decent analytical balances include test masses to calibrate themselves to avoid this problem. Typically they will weigh 100g to +/- 0.00001g so moving them a few floors up or down the building will influence the calibration.