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Apparent Weight at the Equator Calculator

1. What is the Apparent Weight at the Equator Calculator?

Definition: This calculator determines the apparent weight (\( w \)) at the equator, accounting for the centrifugal force from Earth's rotation pushing outward.

Purpose: It assists physicists and engineers in analyzing the effect of Earth's rotation on weight at the equator.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the relationship:

\[ w = m \cdot g - m \cdot \frac{v^2}{R_E} \]

Where:

  • \( w \) — Apparent weight (in various force units)
  • \( m \) — Mass of the object
  • \( g \) — Acceleration due to gravity
  • \( v \) — Linear velocity due to Earth's rotation
  • \( R_E \) — Earth's equatorial radius (approximately 6,378,100 m)

Explanation: Enter the mass, gravity, and velocity in the chosen units, and the calculator computes the apparent weight by subtracting the centrifugal force from the gravitational force. Results use scientific notation (5 decimal places) if the weight in newtons is greater than 1000 or less than 0.00001, otherwise 2 decimal places. The image output (244.3185714123 N for \( m = 25 \, \text{kg} \)) is adjusted to 244.32 N with 2 decimal places for these inputs.

3. Importance of Apparent Weight at the Equator

Details: Apparent weight at the equator is crucial for understanding the effect of Earth's rotation on gravitational force, relevant in geophysics and engineering design.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter positive values for mass, gravity, and velocity, then click "Calculate." Results show apparent weight in various force units (scientific notation with 5 decimal places if > 1000 or < 0.00001 N, otherwise 2 decimal places).

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