Gravity Question

El Guapo! · 22-10-2010 12:14AM #1

This is something I've always wondered since I was younger but I never got an answer to. It might sound like a stupid question.
In school I was taught that gravity is a force that pulls everything towards the centre of the earth.
So I always wondered...If I somehow dug a hole straight through the earth from north to south pole (like taking the core out of an apple) and if I jumped down, what would happen?
Would I fall straight through? Would I fall till I got to the centre and then just float there? Would I be ripped apart?
And now that I think of it.....what would happen to gravity if the Earth was rolled out into a flat sheet? (I mean like opening your closed fist). If the earth was laid out flat what would happen?

exaisle · 22-10-2010 12:21AM

Ignoring all of the temperature issues, and the fact that gravity would continue to try and pull the earth in around you, you would hang in mid air.....half way.

If the earth was rolled out in a flat sheet, gravity would pull it back into a sphere(ish) shape again...

Fringe · 24-10-2010 09:33PM

If you drill a hole from one side to the other through the centre and jump down, you will oscillate between the two end points. This is neglecting friction of course.

nozzferrahhtoo · 25-10-2010 10:13AM

Found it. I read this some years ago and I thought it might be relevant.

http://www.damninteresting.com/the-gravity-express

SugarHigh · 25-10-2010 10:24AM

You would probably have to dig a cork screw shaped tunnel because of the earths slanted rotation.

Capt'n Midnight · 25-10-2010 03:38PM

wouldn't be as bad at the poles

Gary L · 25-10-2010 03:45PM

You wouldn't enjoy the magma.

stevenmu · 01-11-2010 05:17PM

Interesting side note: Everything exerts a gravitational pull. If you were to stand beside something large enough, say a mountain, that pull would actually be measurable. Initial measurements of the mass of the Earth were made by first measuring the gravitational pull of a large mountain on an iron ball of a known mass.

rccaulfield · 04-11-2010 12:51PM

stevenmu wrote: »

Interesting side note: Everything exerts a gravitational pull. If you were to stand beside something large enough, say a mountain, that pull would actually be measurable. Initial measurements of the mass of the Earth were made by first measuring the gravitational pull of a large mountain on an iron ball of a known mass.

I read that in Bill Brysons-a short history of nearly everything-amazing book! I also read recently about an early experiment with 2 lead balls suspended by quartz threads that attracted each other with a measured force(Feynman).

stevenmu · 05-11-2010 10:22AM

I think that's where I read it too, really good book.

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