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My questions are:
a) What significant forces “carry” flying objects around with the rotation of the earth,
b) How do each of those forces contribute to that “carrying”, and
c) How relatively significant is each of those forces?
d) If any of the 5 forces below are not significant contributors, please state why not.

For example, if an aircraft was to take off, thrust directly upwards and hover at say 30,000 feet for 12 hours, then come directly down again, I think we'd generally agree that it would land in the same city it took off from, not half way around the earth. The forces we have considered are:

  • Gravity
  • Centrifugal force
  • Centripetal force
  • Momentum (or is it inertia?) of the object before it left earth
  • The atmosphere's rotation with the earth
  • Any other significant contributors?

I have my opinion on which of the above are relevant, but I didn’t do much Physics at university (30 years ago), and I’d like to know what you think and why. because a friend and I disagree.

Terry
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1 Answers1

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You don't need a complicated answer. The answer is the fact that we are moving too.

enter image description here

How can this bird swoop down and catch the worm if the ground and the worm are rotating so quickly? The answer is because the ground, the air, and the tree are all moving at the same rate. The same applies to flying objects. So the forces involved are the same forces that keep everything else rotating: mainly momentum and gravity (momentum is inertia in motion).

We should remember (or learn now) that momentum only works in a straight line. Gravity forces your flying object to follow the same course that it would on earth.

enter image description here

The green arrows are gravity. The blue lines are momentum. They add to form a curved line. The same line you are following, the bird is following, and the worm is following.

Jimmy360
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