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Lecture 7
Learning outcomes:
At the end of this lesson you should be able to Know:
This learning outcome will let you achieve the following course outcomes:
CO 1: Apply principles of mathematics and physics to better understand the
Earth
CO 2:Understand the Earths structure and the physics governing many
Earth processes.
CONTENTS
1.Earths Size
2.Earths Shape
3.Gravitation
4.Conclusions
Earths Size
The first scientifically sound estimate of the size of the
Earths Size
Eratosthenes observed that
at the summer solstice the
Earths Size
Eratosthenes knew that the approximate distance from
Alexandria to Syene was 5000 stadia (925 Km), possibly
estimated by travelers.
Stadia 185 meters.
Earths Size
In 1671 a French astronomer, Jean Picard completed an
accurate survey by triangulation of the length of a degree
of meridian arc.
From his results the Earths radius was calculated to be
CONTENTS
1.Earths Size
2.Earths Shape
3.Gravitation
4.Conclusions
Earths Shape
Newton argued that the shape of the rotating Earth
should be that of an oblate ellipsoid; compared to a
sphere, it should be somewhat flattened at the poles and
should bulge outward around the equator
Assume that the Earth does not rotate and that holes
Earths Shape
If these holes are filled with water,
Earths Shape
At the equator the outward
centrifugal force of the rotation
opposes the inward gravitational
attraction and pulls the water
column upward.
At the same time it reduces the
hydrostatic pressure produced by
the water column at the Earths
center.
Earths Shape
The reduced central pressure is unable to support the height
of the water column along the polar radius, which subsides.
If the Earth were a hydrostatic sphere, the form of the rotating
Earth should be an oblate ellipsoid of revolution
Earths Shape
The larger radius of
curvature at the flattened
poles gives a longer arc
distance than is found at
the equator where the
radius of curvature is
CONTENTS
1.Earths Size
2.Earths Shape
3.Gravitation
4.Conclusions
15
GRAVITATION CONTENTS
a. Newtons laws (The law of universal gravitation)
b. Gravitational Field
c. Gravitational acceleration
d. Gravitational Potential
e. The equipotential surface
16
Newtons laws
The first law states that an object either is at rest or
moves at a constant velocity, unless acted upon by an
external force
The second law of motion states that the rate of change
of momentum of a mass is proportional to the force
acting upon it and takes place in the direction of the
force.
Newtons laws
For the case of constant mass, the second law serves as
the definition of force (F) in terms of the acceleration (a)
given to a mass (m):
F = ma .. (1)
The unit of force in the SI system of units is the Newton
(N). It is defined as the force that gives a mass of one
kilogram (1 kg) an acceleration of 1 m s-2.
Example
Calculate the force of gravitation between two planets with
masses of 5*1020 kg and 2*1025 kg. the average distance
F = - 1.67*1015 kg.m.s-2
Gravitational Field
In physics the field of a force is often more important than
the absolute magnitude of the force.
The gravitational field in the vicinity of an attracting mass is
the force it exerts on a unit mass.
Earths surface
Gravitational Acceleration(aG)
In geophysical applications we are concerned with
accelerations rather than forces.
By comparing Eq. (1) and Eq. (2) we get the gravitational
acceleration aG of the mass m due to the attraction of the
mass M:
. (3)
Gravitational Acceleration(aG)
The SI unit of acceleration is the m s-2; this unit is unpractical
for use in geophysics.
The c.g.s. system unit is cm s-2, called a gal= 1000 mgal
The small changes in the acceleration of gravity caused by
geological structures are measured in mgal.
1 mgal = 10 g.u. gravity unit
The value of gravity at the Earths surface is about 9.8m s-2 =
980 cm/sec2 = 980 gal , and so the sensitivity of modern
measurements of gravity is about 1 part in 109.
Gravitational Potential
Gravitational potential, U, is work that has to be
done in moving a unit mass from to distance r
from mass M: so integration over space of g
g is spatial derivative (gradient) of U
Equipotential Surface
It is the surface on which
(gravitational) potential
remains constant
No work can be done
moving along this surface
Or potential would have to
change
Equipotential Surface
Equipotential surfaces of
a spherical mass form a
set of concentric spheres.
=> gravitational force is
perpendicular to
equipotential surface
Conclusions
The size of the earth, in early time, estimated
using the degree of incidence of sun rays and
measuring distance between two cities.
Earths radius was calculated to be 6372 km
using an accurate survey by triangulation of the
length of a degree of meridian arc.
The ellipsoidal shape of the Earth resulting from
its rotation has important consequences for the
variation with latitude of gravity.
Conclusions
In geophysical applications we are concerned with
accelerations rather than forces.
In gravity survey small changes in the acceleration
of gravity caused by geological structures are
measured in mgal.
Gravitational potential remains constant over the
equipotential surface.