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Floridaboiler
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Joined: 18 May 2002
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Location: Jacksonville, Florida
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 Posted: 08/14/03 - 21:16 Post subject: A science question (2 actually)
Okay,
As I was baking my brain in the heat yesterday, I pondered this question. If the earth is rotating from west to east (or left to right you know what i mean I hope) at whatever rate it moves at, why don't most weather patterns move in an east to west (right to left) pattern as the earth rotates underneath the atmosphere.
Question 2:
In theory shouldn't a helicopter that tries to hover in one spot actually end up moving from east to west at the earth moves underneath it??? Or does the fact that when the helicopter takes off it absorbs the inertia (not sure if that is the right word for this situation) and thus seems to hover over one constant spot instead of seeing the earth move underneath it.
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crazyfrog
Kermitologist
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Posted: 08/15/03 - 10:27 Post subject:
disclaimer: these are my views and feelings, im not sure if they are 100% accurate. please feel free to correct me or add whatever you feel neccessary...
i think that ocean currents and wind have more control over the weather than the earths rotation. (however, i do see the logic behind the question)
and with the hellicopter, i think that the earths rotation is inconsequential enough that if a physics student were answering the question, it would not make a difference. (that and i hate physics, but didnt want to be rude and ignor the question. )
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jrjo
Gone Fishin
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Joined: 15 May 2002
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Location: Lake Wobegon, MN
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Posted: 08/15/03 - 10:30 Post subject:
If a marathon is run on a point-to-point course, would a east to west race be faster than a west to east race??!
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runaroundsue
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Posted: 08/15/03 - 10:34 Post subject:
| jrjo wrote: | | If a marathon is run on a point-to-point course, would a east to west race be faster than a west to east race??! |
 way to keep this in perspective 
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Running Brewer
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Posted: 08/15/03 - 11:08 Post subject:
Think of it this way. If you are in a vehicle moving at a constant speed, is it easier to move one way or another inside that vehicle?
It all depends on your frame of reference. If you walk from one end of the vehicle to the other in the same direction as the vehicle is traveling and compared your speed to the earth you are moving faster than the car, if you move in the opposite direction you are moving slower than the car but you have expended the same amount of energy.
Like wise if you drop a ball inside a moving vehicle it will drop straight down when compared to the car, when compared to the earth it will drop down with horizontal speed.
I believe it will be the same for weather and helicopters.
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omega lambda
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Posted: 08/15/03 - 11:34 Post subject:
| Running Brewer wrote: | Think of it this way. If you are in a vehicle moving at a constant speed, is it easier to move one way or another inside that vehicle?
It all depends on your frame of reference. If you walk from one end of the vehicle to the other in the same direction as the vehicle is traveling and compared your speed to the earth you are moving faster than the car, if you move in the opposite direction you are moving slower than the car but you have expended the same amount of energy.
Like wise if you drop a ball inside a moving vehicle it will drop straight down when compared to the car, when compared to the earth it will drop down with horizontal speed.
I believe it will be the same for weather and helicopters. |
ding ding ding! We another ner...I mean...winner here! Okay, fess up. You have a pocket protector and a slide rule in your pocket sans the new Spanish class, right?
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jrjo
Gone Fishin
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Posted: 08/15/03 - 11:44 Post subject:
| Running Brewer wrote: | It all depends on your frame of reference. If you walk from one end of the vehicle to the other in the same direction as the vehicle is traveling and compared your speed to the earth you are moving faster than the car, if you move in the opposite direction you are moving slower than the car but you have expended the same amount of energy.
Like wise if you drop a ball inside a moving vehicle it will drop straight down when compared to the car, when compared to the earth it will drop down with horizontal speed.
I believe it will be the same for weather and helicopters. |
But what about running?
Is there even a miniscule amount of advantage running east to west versus west to east? Seriously. If the motion of the planet even gives a person a few feet advantage over the course of 26.2 miles it'd be interesting to know.
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Running Brewer
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Posted: 08/15/03 - 11:50 Post subject:
| omega lambda wrote: |
ding ding ding! We another ner...I mean...winner here! Okay, fess up. You have a pocket protector and a slide rule in your pocket sans the new Spanish class, right? |
I have used a slide rule before, but I traded it is for my HP 48G super calculator. Nothing like RPN to get the day going. 
All I really learned in physics class (besides the electrical stuff I use everyday) is by selecting your proper frame of reference you can approximate anything, in theory at least. 
Jrjo, I would say that earth rotation does not effect running as long as it continues to move at a constant speed. Any accel or decel and we would have some serious issues.
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Floridaboiler
POTFH
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Joined: 18 May 2002
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Location: Jacksonville, Florida
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Posted: 08/16/03 - 07:19 Post subject:
Thanks for the answers everyone,
I thought the point of reference thing would come into play with the helicopter.
I remember learing that in Physics class and how if you look at old war movies how it looked like bombs were dropping straight down if looked at from the bomb bay, but if you watched them from outside the plane you could see them dropping in more of a curve.
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