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Defining the acceleration of the person as the time rate of
change of the velocity of the person relative to a reference
frame in which the sun is at rest at the origin and the earth
is orbiting the origin once per year, you have it exactly
backwards. The person's acceleration is greater than that of
the center of the earth at midnight when the person is
farther from the sun, and smaller than that of the center of
the earth at noon when the person is closer to the sun.
above and the
The lighter scale reading will happen for both the Sun
Sun below, just as the Moon produces 2 tides. This simple analogytowards the
argument might be helpful with students. The simple physics
explanation is that since you are closer to the Sun when above than
the center of the Earth, you have a greater acceleration toward the
sun. When the sun is below the Earth is accelerating more
sun than you are because it is closer to the Sun. In bothcases this
results in a lower scale reading. I will leave thecomplicated explanations to others, as they will confuse most
students.
Unfortunately most simple accounts of the tides ignore thetrue effect
and just talk about the pull. It is a gradient effect.seeing this
Of course a simple bathroom scale would be inadequate for
effect, and a gym scale which is a balance would show no effect.lighter at
John M. clement
Houston, TX
If you stand on a sensitive scale, will you be slightly
below younoon (with the Sun above you and pulling opposite to Earth's
gravity), and slightly heavier at midnight (with the Sun
Ignore any lunar effects.and pulling in the same direction as Earth's gravity)?
said yes due
This came up the other day, and nobody could really agree.
One side said no because the Earth is in freefall around the Sun,
and it is the Earth that pulls us to it. The other side
_______________________________________________to tidal effects as seen in the oceans.
I searched online, and found the same conflicting arguments!
Can anyone help with this?
_______________________________________________
Forum for Physics Educators
Phys-l@www.phys-l.org
http://www.phys-l.org/mailman/listinfo/phys-l
_______________________________________________
Forum for Physics Educators
Phys-l@www.phys-l.org
http://www.phys-l.org/mailman/listinfo/phys-l
Forum for Physics Educators
Phys-l@www.phys-l.org
http://www.phys-l.org/mailman/listinfo/phys-l