• Question: If you dig a hole straight through the earth how long will it take you to get to the other side if u jump trough

    Asked by 564xygg39 to Roisin, Michel, Mark, Karen, Gavin on 11 Nov 2016.
    • Photo: Michel Destrade

      Michel Destrade answered on 11 Nov 2016:


      I remember solving this exercise in second year physics at the university! It’s a bit difficult to solve, and then you quickly realise that it’s not realistic, because the speeds are so enormous that you will not survive (and also, how would you dig the hole in the first place?) In any case the calculations show that it will take 40 minutes or so to go to the other side. But you will be oscillating back and forth from one side to the other, no fun! See here for example:
      http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/Mechanics/earthole.html

    • Photo: Roisin Jones

      Roisin Jones answered on 11 Nov 2016:


      Great answer Michel, physics is not my strong point!

    • Photo: Karen

      Karen answered on 11 Nov 2016:


      Great question and great answer. I’ve learned something new?

    • Photo: Mark Kennedy

      Mark Kennedy answered on 14 Nov 2016:


      (addition to Michel’s answer – good luck getting through the molten core of the Earth. It’s damn hot there – approximately 6,000 degrees celsius! And the core itself is a solid, spinning ball of iron and nickel!!! :O )

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