Newton versus Hooke
Plumb Line Effect
Plumb Line Effect simulation
The simulation shows the motion of an object in both the rotating
frame of the Earth (on the left) and an inertial frame (on the
right), as well as a plot of the object's latitude versus time. The simulation uses the following assumptions:
- Object is released from a point 0.5 Earth radii "directly above"
London (latitude 51.5 degrees North).
- "Directly above" is defined as the direction of a plumb line,
which is opposite to the direction of the "effective gravitational
field" (which includes both the true gravitational field that points
toward Earth's center, as well as the "centrifugal effect" of the
rotating Earth frame which points away from Earth's axis of rotation).
- Gravitational force on object is an inverse square force
directed toward Earth's center.
- Earth rotates at a rate of 5 rotations per day.
- Object stops when it hits Earth's surface.
Todd K. Timberlake (ttimberlake@berry.edu)