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Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology / Where is the point of maximum gravity inside a planet or star?
« on: 05/12/2012 01:16:56 »
We always treat gravity as attracting things to the *center* (of gravity) of a planet or star, for instance let's consider one called Plar. But if you were *inside* Plar, it would be different. At the center, you would be pulled out in every direction right? So do those forces simply cancel out and you feel nothing or do they create a tension that pulls things apart? I lean towards the first one.
In that case, where is the net force due to gravity maximum? How far into the center? And also, where is the "pressure" maximum from all the stuff sitting on top of you? Is it still the center because it all adds up from the higher material?
You can assume Plar is homogenous if that helps, surely it can be figured out with some calculus, but I'd also be interested in Earth. Finally, does this phenomenon have any noticeable effects, like on the nuclear reactions in stars or can a hole form from material being pulled out?
In that case, where is the net force due to gravity maximum? How far into the center? And also, where is the "pressure" maximum from all the stuff sitting on top of you? Is it still the center because it all adds up from the higher material?
You can assume Plar is homogenous if that helps, surely it can be figured out with some calculus, but I'd also be interested in Earth. Finally, does this phenomenon have any noticeable effects, like on the nuclear reactions in stars or can a hole form from material being pulled out?