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So, if I build a highway from north pole towards equator and sit in a car, speed pretty fast towards it, I should feel force with the Earths rotation due to the different rotation speeds of this points. Which is basically 0 at north pole and 1000 mph on equator, so I should gradually pick up 1000mph of speed on my journey.

Why doesn't this happend with objects that are above the ground, for example, airplanes that fly throught atmosphere. The atmosphere itself is rotating with the Earth, therefore there should be the same difference in speed. Shouldn't airplanes and other objects gradually pickup speed because of the speed difference in atmosphere itself?

Qmechanic
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pittacus
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1 Answers1

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Your intuition that there is no difference between airplanes and cars is correct. If you measure motion relative to a frame fixed to the stars, so not rotating, a point on the equator is traveling about 1000 mph. As you drive from the pole to the equator, you get that velocity, and so does an airplane. It is more common to use a reference frame that is fixed to and rotating with the earth. In that frame the equator is not moving and neither the plane nor the car will gain velocity by going to the equator.

Ross Millikan
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