Einstein's Equations from Einstein's Inertial Motion and Newton's Law For

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Einstein's Equations from Einstein's Inertial Motion and Newton's Law For Einstein’s equations from Einstein’s inertial motion and Newton’s law for relative acceleration Christoph Schmid∗ ETH Zurich, Institute for Theoretical Physics, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland (Dated: February 19, 2018) ˆˆ We show that Einstein’s equation for R00(P ) for nonrelativistic matter-sources in P and for arbitrarily strong gravitational fields, is identical with Newton’s equation for the relative radial ac- celeration of neighbouring freefalling test-particles, spherically averaged.— With Einstein’s concept of inertial motion (≡ freefalling-nonrotating), inertial worldlines (≡ geodesics) in Newtonian exper- ˆˆ iments can intersect repeatedly. This is evidence for the space-time curvature encoded in R00.— These two laws of Newton and Einstein are explicitely identical, if one uses (1) our adapted space- time slicing (generated by the radial 4-geodesics of the primary observer with worldline through P andu ¯obs(P ) =e ¯0ˆ(P ), (2) our adapted Local Ortho-Normal Bases, LONBs (radially parallel with the primary observer’s LONB), and (3) Riemann normal 3-coordinates (centered at the primary observer). Hats on indices denote LONB components.— Our result: Full general relativity follows from Newton’s law of relative acceleration by using Lorentz covariance and energy-momentum con- servation combined with the Bianchi identity.— The gravitational field equation of Newton-Gauss ˆˆ and Einstein’s field equation for R00(P ) are both linear in gravitational fields, if the primary observer (≡ worldline through P ) is inertial. Einstein’s principle of equivalence between fictitious forces and gravitational forces is formulated as a precise equivalence theorem with explicit equations of motion from general relativity. With this equivalence theorem, the gravitational field equation of 19th-century Newton-Gauss physics ˆˆ and Einstein’s field equation for R00(P ) are both bilinear in the gravitational forces for non-inertial primary observers. 0ˆ0ˆ ˆi0ˆ ˆi R = −divE~ g and R = −(curlB~ g/2) hold exactly in general relativity for inertial primary observers, if one uses our space-time slicing and our LONB’s. The gravitoelectric E~ g and the gravito- ~ magnetic Bg fields are defined and measured exactly with nonrelativistic test-particles via (d/dt)(pˆi) ~ ~ ~ ~ and (d/dt)(Sˆi) in direct correspondence with the electromagnetic (E, B) fields. The (Eg, Bg) fields are identical with the Ricci connection for any observer’s LONBs and for displacements along any observer’s worldline, (ωaˆˆb)0ˆ. In the explicit equations of particle-motion of general relativity (using our adapted space-time slicing and our adapted LONBs), there are precisely two gravitational forces equivalent to the two fictitious forces on the worldline of the observer: the force from E~ g, equivalent to the fictitious force measured by an accelerated observer, and the force from B~ g, equivalent to the ficitious Coriolis force for a rotating observer. ˆˆ The exact Ricci curvature component Ri0 can be measured with non-relativistic test particles. ˆi0ˆ 0ˆ0ˆ (R , R )P are linear in the gravitational fields (E~ g, B~ g) for inertial primary observers with world- ˆˆ ˆˆ lines through P . For non-inertial primary observers, (Ri0, R00) are bilinear in the gravitational ˆi0ˆ 0ˆ0ˆ fields (E~ g, B~ g), which are the only gravitational fields in (R , R ). ˆˆ Einstein’s R00 equation for non-relativistic matter and for inertial primary observers gives the 0ˆˆi Gauss law, divE~ g = −4πGNρmass, and Einstein’s R equation gives the gravito-magnetic Amp`ere arXiv:1607.08661v1 [gr-qc] 28 Jul 2016 law, curlB~ g = −16πGNJ~mass.— For relativistic matter and inertial primary observers, Einstein’s 0ˆ0ˆ R equation gives div E~ g = −4πGN(˜ρε + 3˜p), whereρ ˜ε is the energy density, and (3˜p) is the trace 0ˆˆi of the momentum-flow 3-tensor, both in the frame withu ¯obs =e ¯0ˆ. Einstein’s R equation for an inertial observer gives the relativistic gravito-magnetic Amp`ere law, curlB~ g = −16πGNJ~ε. ˆˆ The remaining six Ricci components, Rij , involve the curvature of space-space plaquettes, which are unmeasurable with non-relativistic particles in quasi-local experiments. With our primary-observer-adapted spacetime splitting and LONBs, the equations of motion of general relativity for particles without nongravitational forces and for a noninertial primary observer are (1) form-identical with the 19th-century equations of Newtonian mechanics for nonrelativistic particles, (2) form-identical with the equations of motion for special relativity with the obvious replacements (E,~ B~ ) ⇒ (E~ g, B~ g) and q ⇒ ε ≡ total energy of particle.— We formulate the precise theorem of equivalence of fictitious and gravitational forces in the equations of motion. PACS numbers: 04.20.-q, 04.25.-g, 04.20.Cv, 98.80.Jk ∗Electronic address: [email protected] 2 I. GRAVITO-ELECTRIC AND field: B~ g is defined via the gravitational torque caus- ~ ~ GRAVITO-MAGNETIC FIELDS Eg, Bg ing the spin-precession of quasistatic freefalling test par- ticles with spin S~ and free of nongravitational torques Our exact and general operational definition in arbitray (or by quasistatic gyroscopes). In the gyro-magnetic ra- spacetimes of the gravitoelectric field E~g measured by tio q/(2m) of electromagnetism, the particle charge q any observer is probably new. must be replaced by the rest-mass m, therefore the gyro- In contrast to the literature, we use no perturbation gravitomagnetic ratio is (1/2), theory on a background geometry, no “weak gravitational d fields”, no “Newtonian limit”. ~ ~ Sˆi ≡ [ S × (Bg/2) ]ˆi (2) For an observer with his Local Ortho-Normal Bases dt (LONBs) on his worldline our exact operational defini- ⇔ Ω~ gyro = − (B~ g/2), quasistatic gyroscope, (3) tion of the gravitoelectric field E~g is by measuring the ac- 1/2 = gyro-gravitomagnetic ratio. celeration of quasistatic freefalling test-particles in anal- ogy to the operational definition of the ordinary elec- The gravitomagnetic field B~ g can also be measured by tric field. We must replace the particle’s charge q by its the deflection of freefalling test particles, nonrelativistic rest mass m. This gives the operational definition of the relative to the observer, gravito-electric field, d ~p = m [ E~g + (~v × B~g)]. (4) − d (g) dt m 1 p ≡ E dt ˆi ˆi ~ × ~ ⇔ ~a = E~ (g) = ~g, (1) The second term, Fg = m(~v Bg) is the Coriolis force ff of Newtonian physics, which arises in rotating reference for freefalling, quasistatic test particles. frames. It has the same form as the Lorentz force of electromagnetism with the charge q replaced by the rest The local time-interval dt is measured on the observer’s mass m for a nonrelativistic particle. — Our definition wristwatch. The measured 3-momentum is p , and the ˆi of B~ agrees with Thorne et al [2]. measured acceleration of the quasistatic particle relative g The gravitomagnetic field B~ g of general relativity has to the observer is ~aff = ~g ≡ gravitational acceleration. We use use the method of Elie´ Cartan, who gives vec- been measured by Foucault with gyroscopes precessing tors V¯ (and tensors) at any spacetime point P by their relative to his LONBs,e ¯0ˆ =u ¯obs ande ¯ˆi = (East, North, ~ components V aˆ in the chosen Local Ortho-Normal Ba- vertical). Recently, Bg has been measured on Gravity sis. — The LONB-components V aˆ are directly measur- Probe B by gyroscope precession relative to LONBs given able. This is in stark contrast to coordinate-basis com- by the line of sight to quasars resp. distant stars without ponents V α, which are not measurable before one has measurable proper motion. obtained gαβ by solving Einstein’s equations for the spe- In 1893, Oliver Heaviside, in his paper A Gravitational cific problem at hand. — Cartan’s method uses coordi- and Electromagnetic Analogy [3], gave the same opera- nates only in the mapping from an event P to the event- tional definition of the gravito-electric field E~g, and he µ coordinates, P ⇒ xP . postulated the gravito-magnetic field B~ g in analogy to It is important to distinguish LONB-components, de- Amp`ere-Maxwell. noted by hats, from coordinate-basis components, de- For an inertial observer (freefalling-nonrotating) with noted without hats in the notation of Misner, Thorne, worldline through P , (E~g, B~g)P are zero. and Wheeler [1]. We denote spacetime LONB-indices Arbitrarily strong gravito-magnetic field B~ of general ˆ ˆ ˆ g by (ˆa, b, ...), 3-space LONB-indices by (i, j, ...), and relativity can be measured exactly with the precession coordinate-indices by Greek letters. of quasistatic gyroscopes Eq. (2), or with the Coriolis- LONBs off the observer’s worldline are not needed in deflection of nonrelativistic test particles, Eq. (4). — But Eq. (1), because a particle released from rest will still be this same measured B~ is exactly valid for relativistic test- on the observer’s worldline after an infinitesimal time δt, g 2 particles in the equations of motion, Eqs. (25, 30), and since δs ∝ (δt) ⇒ 0, while δv ∝ δt =6 0. in the field equations. Arbitrarily strong gravito-electric fields E~g of general relativity can be measured exactly with freefalling test- particles which are quasistatic relative to the observer in Galilei-type experiments, Eq. (1). — But this same measured E~g is exactly valid for relativistic test-particles in the equations of motion of general relativity, Eqs. (25), and in the field equations. For the gravitomagnetic field B~g, we give the exact op- erational definition in arbitray spacetimes, which is anal- ogous to the modern definition of the ordinary magnetic 3 A. Ricci’s LONB-connection transport) is given by the rotation matrix, ~exˆ cos α sin α ~exˆ Relative to an airplane on the shortest path (geodesic) = . ~eyˆ − sin α cos α ~eyˆ from Zurich to Chicago, the Local Ortho-Normal Bases Q P (LONBs), chosen to be in the directions “East” and For infinitesimal displacements, the infinitesimal rotation “North”, otate relative to the geodesic (relative to par- matrix is, allel transport) with a rotation angle δα per path length ~e 0 1 ~e δs, i.e.
Recommended publications
  • On the Transformation of Torques Between the Laboratory and Center
    On the transformation of torques between the laboratory and center of mass reference frames Rodolfo A. Diaz,∗ William J. Herrera† Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Departamento de F´ısica. Bogot´a, Colombia. Abstract It is commonly stated in Newtonian Mechanics that the torque with respect to the laboratory frame is equal to the torque with respect to the center of mass frame plus a R × F factor, with R being the position of the center of mass and F denoting the total external force. Although this assertion is true, there is a subtlety in the demonstration that is overlooked in the textbooks. In addition, it is necessary to clarify that if the reference frame attached to the center of mass rotates with respect to certain inertial frame, the assertion is not true any more. PACS {01.30.Pp, 01.55.+b, 45.20.Dd} Keywords: Torque, center of mass, transformation of torques, fictitious forces. In Newtonian Mechanics, we define the total external torque of a system of n particles (with respect to the laboratory frame that we shall assume as an inertial reference frame) as n Next = ri × Fi(e) , i=1 X where ri, Fi(e) denote the position and total external force for the i − th particle. The relation between the position coordinates between the laboratory (L) and center of mass (CM) reference frames 1 is given by ′ ri = ri + R , ′ with R denoting the position of the CM about the L, and ri denoting the position of the i−th particle with respect to the CM, in general the prime notation denotes variables measured with respect to the CM.
    [Show full text]
  • Explain Inertial and Noninertial Frame of Reference
    Explain Inertial And Noninertial Frame Of Reference Nathanial crows unsmilingly. Grooved Sibyl harlequin, his meadow-brown add-on deletes mutely. Nacred or deputy, Sterne never soot any degeneration! In inertial frames of the air, hastening their fundamental forces on two forces must be frame and share information section i am throwing the car, there is not a severe bottleneck in What city the greatest value in flesh-seconds for this deviation. The definition of key facet having a small, polished surface have a force gem about a pretend or aspect of something. Fictitious Forces and Non-inertial Frames The Coriolis Force. Indeed, for death two particles moving anyhow, a coordinate system may be found among which saturated their trajectories are rectilinear. Inertial reference frame of inertial frames of angular momentum and explain why? This is illustrated below. Use tow of reference in as sentence Sentences YourDictionary. What working the difference between inertial frame and non inertial fr. Frames of Reference Isaac Physics. In forward though some time and explain inertial and noninertial of frame to prove your measurement problem you. This circumstance undermines a defining characteristic of inertial frames: that with respect to shame given inertial frame, the other inertial frame home in uniform rectilinear motion. The redirect does not rub at any valid page. That according to whether the thaw is inertial or non-inertial In the. This follows from what Einstein formulated as his equivalence principlewhich, in an, is inspired by the consequences of fire fall. Frame of reference synonyms Best 16 synonyms for was of. How read you govern a bleed of reference? Name we will balance in noninertial frame at its axis from another hamiltonian with each printed as explained at all.
    [Show full text]
  • THE PROBLEM with SO-CALLED FICTITIOUS FORCES Abstract 1
    THE PROBLEM WITH SO-CALLED FICTITIOUS FORCES Härtel Hermann; University Kiel, Germany Abstract Based on examples from modern textbooks the question will be raised if the traditional approach to teach the basics of Newton´s mechanics is still adequate, especially when inertial forces like centrifugal forces are described as fictitious, applicable only in non-inertial frames of reference. In the light of some recent research, based on Mach´s principles and early work of Weber, it is argued that the so-called fictitious forces could be described as real interactive forces and therefore should play quite a different role in the frame of Newton´s mechanics. By means of some computer supported learning material it will be shown how a fruitful discussion of these ideas could be supported. 1. Introduction When treating classical mechanics the interaction forces are usually clearly separated from the so- called inertial forces. For interaction forces Newton´s basic laws are valid, while for inertial forces especially the 3rd Newtonian principle cannot be applied. There seems to be no interaction force which can be related to the force of inertia and therefore this force is called fictitious and is assigned to a fictitious world. The following citations from a widespread German textbook (Bergmann Schaefer 1998) may serve as a typical example, which is found in similar form in many other German as well as American textbooks. • Zu den in der Natur beobachtbaren Kräften gehören schließlich auch die sogenannten Scheinkräfte oder Trägheitskräfte, die nur in Bezugssystemen wirken, die gegenüber dem Fundamentalsystem der fernen Galaxien beschleunigt sind. Dazu gehören die Zentrifugalkraft und die Corioliskraft.
    [Show full text]
  • Coriolis Force PDF File
    Conservation of angular momentum – the Coriolis force Bill Watterson Conservation of momentum in the ocean – Navier Stokes equation dv F / m (Newton) dt dv - 1/r 흏p/흏z + horizontal component dt + Coriolis force + g vertical vector + tidal forces + friction 2 Attention: Newton‘s law only valid in absolute reference system. I.e. in a reference system which is at rest or in constant motion. What happens when reference system is rotating? Then „inertial forces“ will appear. A mass at rest will experience a centrifugal force. A mass that is in motion will experience a Coriolis force. 3 Which reference system do we want to use? z y x 4 Stewart, 2007 Which reference system do we want to use? We like to use a Cartesian coordinate system at the ocean surface convention: x eastward y northward z upward This reference system rotates with the earth around its axis. Newton‘s 2. law does only apply, when taking an „inertial force“ into account. 5 Coriolis ”force” - fictitious force in a rotating reference frame Coriolis force on a merrygoround … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_36MiCUS1ro https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZPSfv_YssA 6 Coriolis ”force” - fictitious force in a rotating reference frame Plate turns. View on the plate from outside. View from inside the plate. 7 Disc world (Terry Pratchett) Angular velocity is the same everywhere w = 360°/24h Tangential velocity varies with the distance from rotation axis: w NP 푣푇 = 2휋 ∙ 푟 /24ℎ r vT (on earth at 54°N: vT= 981 km/h) Eq 8 Disc world Tangential velocity varies with distance from rotation axis: 푣푇 = 2휋 ∙ 푟 /24ℎ NP r Eq vT 9 Disc world Tangential velocity varies with distance from rotation axis: 푣푇 = 2휋 ∙ 푟 /24ℎ NP Hence vT is smaller near the North Pole than at the equator.
    [Show full text]
  • 6. Non-Inertial Frames
    6. Non-Inertial Frames We stated, long ago, that inertial frames provide the setting for Newtonian mechanics. But what if you, one day, find yourself in a frame that is not inertial? For example, suppose that every 24 hours you happen to spin around an axis which is 2500 miles away. What would you feel? Or what if every year you spin around an axis 36 million miles away? Would that have any e↵ect on your everyday life? In this section we will discuss what Newton’s equations of motion look like in non- inertial frames. Just as there are many ways that an animal can be not a dog, so there are many ways in which a reference frame can be non-inertial. Here we will just consider one type: reference frames that rotate. We’ll start with some basic concepts. 6.1 Rotating Frames Let’s start with the inertial frame S drawn in the figure z=z with coordinate axes x, y and z.Ourgoalistounderstand the motion of particles as seen in a non-inertial frame S0, with axes x , y and z , which is rotating with respect to S. 0 0 0 y y We’ll denote the angle between the x-axis of S and the x0- axis of S as ✓.SinceS is rotating, we clearly have ✓ = ✓(t) x 0 0 θ and ✓˙ =0. 6 x Our first task is to find a way to describe the rotation of Figure 31: the axes. For this, we can use the angular velocity vector ! that we introduced in the last section to describe the motion of particles.
    [Show full text]
  • Chapter 2B More on the Momentum Principle
    Chapter 2b More on the Momentum Principle 2b.1 Derivative form of the Momentum Principle 114 2b.1.1 An approximate result: F = ma 115 2b.2 Momentum not changing 116 2b.2.1 Static equilibrium 116 2b.2.2 Uniform motion 116 2b.2.3 Momentarily at rest vs.static equilibrium 117 2b.2.4 Finding the rate of change of momentum 118 2b.2.5 Example: Hanging block (static equilibrium) 119 2b.2.6 Preview of the Angular Momentum Principle 120 2b.3 Curving motion 120 2b.3.1 Example: The Moon around the Earth (curving motion) 121 2b.3.2 Example: Tarzan swings from a vine (curving motion) 122 2b.3.3 The Momentum Principle relates different things 123 2b.3.4 Example: Sitting in an airplane (curving motion) 123 2b.3.5 Example: A turning car (curving motion) 125 2b.4 A special case: Circular motion at constant speed 126 2b.4.1 The initial conditions required for a circular orbit 127 2b.4.2 Nongravitational situations 128 2b.4.3 Period 129 2b.4.4 Example: Circular pendulum (curving motion) 129 2b.4.5 Comment: Forward reasoning 131 2b.4.6 Example: An amusement park ride (curving motion) 131 2b.5 Systems consisting of several objects 132 2b.5.1 Collisions: Negligible external forces 133 2b.5.2 Momentum flow within a system 134 2b.6 Conservation of momentum 134 2b.7 Predicting the future of complex gravitating systems 136 2b.7.1 The three-body problem 136 2b.7.2 Sensitivity to initial conditions 137 2b.8 Determinism 137 2b.8.1 Practical limitations 138 2b.8.2 Chaos 138 2b.8.3 Breakdown of Newton’s laws 139 2b.8.4 Probability and uncertainty 139 2b.9 *Derivation of the multiparticle Momentum Principle 140 2b.10 Summary 142 2b.11 Review questions 143 2b.12 Problems 144 2b.13 Answers to exercises 151 114 Chapter 2: The Momentum Principle Chapter 2b More on the Momentum Principle In this chapter we continue to apply the Momentum Principle to a variety of systems.
    [Show full text]
  • Advanced Classical Physics, Autumn 2013
    Advanced Classical Physics, Autumn 2013 Arttu Rajantie December 2, 2013 Advanced Classical Physics, Autumn 2013 Lecture Notes Preface These are the lecture notes for the third-year Advanced Classical Physics course in the 2013-14 aca- demic year at Imperial College London. They are based on the notes which I inherited from the previous lecturer Professor Angus MacKinnon. The notes are designed to be self-contained, but there are also some excellent textbooks, which I want to recommend as supplementary reading. The core textbooks are • Classical Mechanics (5th Edition), Kibble & Berkshire (Imperial College Press 2004), • Introduction to Electrodynamics (3rd Edition), Griffiths (Pearson 2008), and these books may also be useful: • Classical Mechanics (2nd Edition), McCall (Wiley 2011), • Classical Mechanics, Gregory (Cambridge University Press 2006), • Classical Mechanics (3rd Edition), Goldstein, Poole & Safko (Addison-Wesley 2002), • Mechanics (3rd Edition), Landau & Lifshitz (Elsevier 1976), • Classical Electrodynamics (3rd Edition), Jackson (Wiley 1999), • The Classical Theory of Fields, Landau & Lifshitz (Elsevier 1975). The course assumes Mechanics, Relativity and Electromagnetism as background knowledge. Be- ing a theoretical course, it also makes heavy use of most aspects of the compulsory mathematics courses. Mathematical Methods is also useful, but it is not a formal prerequisite, and all necessary concepts are introduced as part of this course, although in a less general way. Arttu Rajantie 111 Contents 1 Rotating Frames 4 1.1 Angular Velocity . .4 1.2 Transformation of Vectors . .5 1.3 Equation of Motion . .6 1.4 Coriolis Force . .7 1.5 Centrifugal Force . .7 1.6 Examples . .8 1.6.1 Weather . .8 1.6.2 Foucault’s Pendulum .
    [Show full text]
  • How Do We Understand the Coriolis Force?
    How Do We Understand the Coriolis Force? Anders Persson European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, Reading, Berkshire, United Kingdom ABSTRACT The Coriolis force, named after French mathematician Gaspard Gustave de Coriolis (1792-1843), has traditionally been derived as a matter of coordinate transformation by an essentially kinematic technique. This has had the conse- quence that its physical significance for processes in the atmosphere, as well for simple mechanical systems, has not been fully comprehended. A study of Coriolis's own scientific career and achievements shows how the discovery of the Coriolis force was linked, not to any earth sciences, but to early nineteenth century mechanics and industrial develop- ments. His own approach, which followed from a general discussion of the energetics of a rotating mechanical system, provides an alternative and more physical way to look at and understand, for example, its property as a complementary centrifugal force. It also helps to clarify the relation between angular momentum and rotational kinetic energy and how an inertial force can have a significant affect on the movement of a body and still without doing any work. Applying Coriolis's principles elucidates cause and effect aspects of the dynamics and energetics of the atmosphere, the geostrophic adjustment process, the circulation around jet streams, the meridional extent of the Hadley cell, the strength and location of the subtropical jet stream, and the phenomenon of "downstream development" in the zonal westerlies. "To understand a science it is necessary to know its tal in the large-scale atmospheric circulation, the de- history." (August Comte, 1798-1857) velopment of storms, and the sea-breeze circulation (Atkinson 1981, 150, 164; Simpson 1985; Neumann 1984), it can even affect the outcome of baseball tour- 1 • Introduction naments: a ball thrown horizontally 100 m in 4 s in the United States will, due to the Coriolis force, devi- Although the meteorological science enjoys a rela- ate 1.5 cm to the right.
    [Show full text]
  • 8. Fictitious Forces & Rotating Mass
    MITOCW | 8. Fictitious Forces & Rotating Mass The following content is provided under a Creative Commons license. Your support will help MIT OpenCourseWare continue to offer high quality educational resources for free. To make a donation or to view additional materials from hundreds of MIT courses, visit MIT OpenCourseWare at ocw.mit.edu. PROFESSOR: There's a reading. The new reading is on Stellar. It's an excerpt from a textbook on dynamics by Professor Jim Williams who was in the mechanical engineering department here at MIT and just recently retired. This reading is essentially a review of everything we've done in kinematics. So it gives you a different point of view. It's extremely well written. So it goes through things like derivatives of rotating vectors. It has three or four really terrific examples of problems that are solved using the techniques that we've used up to this point. So it's a good way to review for the quiz, which is coming up a week from Thursday, on October 14. That quiz will be here, closed book, one sheet of notes, piece of paper both sides as your reference material. OK, survey results. So you have p set four. It has I think five questions on that. We'll quickly take a look at the problems that you're working on right now. So here's this yo-yo like thing, a spool. There were some questions on nb. The inner piece doesn't rotate relative to the out piece. It's all one solid spool, but it has two different radii that are functioning in the problem.
    [Show full text]
  • Rotation 101 (Some Basics)
    Rotation 101 (some basics) Most students starting off in oceanography, even if they have had some fluid mechanics, are not familiar with viewing fluids in a rotating reference frame. This is essential in order to understand large scale, low frequency dynamics of the ocean. So we must return to some basic about rotating dynamics. Consider a dish that is curved as shown and which is rotating at a Ω rate Ω about a vertical axis. Only gravity, also vertical, is acting. A particle of mass m is resting on the surface. (1) What shape does the surface have to be in order that Ω2r there are no net forces on the particle: can it be at rest in the rotating frame? (2) What is the -g apparent gravity acting normal to the surface? In a rotating frame, there is a centrifugal force acting outward from the axis of rotation and 2 Ω rcosθ gravity acting downward. We 2 decompose these two forces into -Ω rsinθ ones acting parallel (a) and normal (b) to the surface 2 − mg sinθ + mΩ r cosθ = 0 θ -gcosθ -gsinθ 2 −−mg cosθθmΩr sin =−mgˆ where gˆ is the apparent gravity. For the case in which θ < π/2 the first relation (balance parallel to surface) becomes dh Ω2 dh − g tanθ + Ω2r =0, or = r, recognizing that tanθ ≡ dr g dr θ dh dr So the answer to part (1) of the problem is that the shape is a parabola, the solution being Ω2 h = h + r 2 0 2g where h0 is a constant.
    [Show full text]
  • Student Misconceptions About Newtonian Mechanics: Origins and Solutions Through Changes to Instruction Dissertation by Aaron
    Student Misconceptions about Newtonian Mechanics: Origins and Solutions through Changes to Instruction Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Aaron Michael Adair, M.S. Graduate Program in Physics The Ohio State University 2013 Dissertation Committee: Lei Bao, Advisor Andrew Heckler Gordon Aubrecht Samir Mathur Copyright by Aaron Michael Adair 2013 ABSTRACT In order for Physics Education Research (PER) to achieve its goals of significant learning gains with efficient methods, it is necessary to figure out what are the sorts of pre- existing issues that students have prior to instruction and then to create teaching methods that are best able to overcome those problems. This makes it necessary to figure out what is the nature of student physics misconceptions—prior beliefs that are both at variance to Newtonian mechanics and also prevent a student from properly cognizing Newtonian concepts. To understand the prior beliefs of students, it is necessary to uncover their origins, which may allow instructors to take into account the sources for ideas of physics that are contrary to Newtonian mechanics understanding. That form of instruction must also induce the sorts of metacognitive processes that allow students to transition from their previous conceptions to Newtonian ones, let alone towards those of modern physics. In this paper, the notions of basic dynamics that are common among first-year college students are studied and compared with previous literature. In particular, an analysis of historical documents from antiquity up to the early modern period shows that these conceptions were rather widespread and consistent over thousands of years and in numerous cultural contexts.
    [Show full text]
  • M1A1: Mechanics Motion in Accelerating Or Rotating Frames We Know Newton’S Laws Apply Only in Non-Accelerating (Inertial) Frames
    M1A1: Mechanics Motion in Accelerating or Rotating Frames We know Newton's laws apply only in non-accelerating (inertial) frames. What happens if we use a set of Cartesian axes which are accelerating (but not rotating) with respect to an inertial frame? Suppose our origin has position vector S(t) with respect to an inertial frame. Then if a particle has position vectors R with respect to an inertial origin, and r with respect to the accelerating origin, we have R = S+r. Now if a force F acts, Newton's laws require F = mR¨ =) F − mS¨ = m¨r : (4:1) We see therefore that we can work in the accelerating frame if we choose, provided we include an extra ‘fictitious force,' −mS¨, in the equation. Now we know that rotation corresponds to motion in a circle which is associated with an acceleration towards the centre. If we wish to work in a rotating frame we therefore expect fictitious forces to act. This is important { we know the earth is rotating, and we need to be able to quantify the effects of this rotation on our equations. Consider a frame (x; y; z) which is rotating about the z-axis and compare with an inertial frame (X; Y; Z). The two origins are the same for all time. We write xb and yb for unit vectors in the x and y-directions, and similarly for Xb and Yb . These latter two vectors are constant, but xb and yb vary in time. For if xb makes an angle θ(t) with Xb , then xb = cos θ Xb + sin θ Yb and yb = cos θ Yb − sin θ Xb .
    [Show full text]