A person of mass m measures their weight with a scale. How does the person's weight measurement at the equator, WEQ, compare with their weight measurement at the south pole, WSP? Let T be the duration of one day. Assume the force acting on the person due to gravity has magnitude mg at both the south pole and the equator and that the Earth is a sphere of radius R.

Question

Physics

Myah Nash

27 September, 22:30

A person of mass m measures their weight with a scale. How does the person's weight measurement at the equator, WEQ, compare with their weight measurement at the south pole, WSP? Let T be the duration of one day. Assume the force acting on the person due to gravity has magnitude mg at both the south pole and the equator and that the Earth is a sphere of radius R.

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Answers (1)

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Cornelius Jarvis · Answer 1

Weight measurement at poles will be slightly more than at equator.

Explanation:

Firstly earth bulges at equator. This makes the body far from earth center at equator than poles. Secondly, the surface centrifugal forces of earth due to rotation also plays vital role in disturbing the gravity value. The centrifugal forces cancel the effect of gravity more at equator than at poles. These factors combine to create difference of about 0.5% in gravity values at pole and equator.

gravity at pole=9.832 m/s^2

gravity at equator=9.780 m/s^2