Question

Consider a person (m=80 kg) standing on the flat horizontal ground at a location on the equator of the earth. (For now consider that the earth does not rotate) 

a. illustrates a FBD of the person.

b. Write Newton’s second law and find out the person’s apparent weight. What can you say about person’s apparent weight in relation to the person’s real weight? 

c. The situation above is for a person standing on a ground where we have not taken into consideration the rotational effects of the earth with respect to the axis that passes throughout the North and South Poles. Find out earth’s rotational speed (in m/s) at the equator. (This is one of the questions in an early assignment)

d. Now repeat question b by considering that the earth rotates – this means that the person is also rotating about the center of the earth. How does effect of rotation affect the person’s apparent weight – compare your answer to part b? Does earth’s rotation affect a person’s weight?

e. How fast (in km/h) should the earth rotate if the person is to be “thrown” off surface of the earth (what would the person’s apparent weight have to be for this case)? How much shorter would the day be from its current 24 h?

f. assume the person is standing at the North Pole with the earth rotating. What would be person’s apparent weight? How does a rotating earth affect the person’s apparent weight?