PHY 203: Solutions to Problem Set 9

December 12, 2006

1 Problem 10.9
We want to calculate the deflection on a projectile undergoing (almost) parabolic
motion due to the inertial forces of the rotating frame of the Earth. In order to
solve this problem we are going to consider a series of approximations.

• We consider the motion to take place in a much shorter scale than that
of the curvature of the Earth. That means that we are zooming in on a
region where the Earth looks flat.
• The way to understand how small inertial forces are is to compare them
to the force that dominates the motion: gravity. For centrifugal forces the
2
relevant parameter is ω REarth
g ∼ 3.5 × 10−3  1, where ω is the angular
frequency of Earth’s rotation. For Coriolis forces the important parameter
is ωV
g ∼ 10
0 −2
 1, where V0 , the characteristic speed involved, was taken
to be 5000km/h (which is more than enough for all kinds of missiles and
jets). The conclusion is that our results will be expressed with great
accuracy to first order in those parameters.
• Finally, since our paths are short, we will use the uncorrected parabolic
trajectory when we calculate the forces. Then given these forces we will
compute the deviation from the original path.

Having discussed the approximations, we turn to the problem. We pick Carte-

sian coordinates on the surface of the Earth where we perform the experiment.
The z unit vector k̂ will point upwards. To first order, it is not important
whether we correct this up direction by the centrifugal force or not. So we can
think of it as coinciding with the radial vector r̂ pointing normal to the surface
of the Earth. We let the y unit vector ĵ point East. Finally, î is directed South,
in the x-direction (as in T&M Fig. 10-9).
In these coordinates the angular velocity of the Earth and the velocity of
the particle on the uncorrected parabolic trajectory are

ω
~ = (−ω cos λ, 0, ω sin λ), (1)
v~r = (0, v0 cos α, v0 sin α − gt). (2)

1
The Coriolis force is given by
F~cor = −2m~
ω × v~r , (3)
and from above we have

 

 î ĵ k̂ 

~ × v~r
ω =  −ω cos λ 0 ω sin λ 

 0 v0 cos α v0 sin α − gt 
= (−v0 ω cos α sin λ, ω cos λ(v0 sin α − gt), −v0 ω cos α cos λ).
Therefore
~a = (2v0 ω cos α sin λ, −2ω cos λ(v0 sin α − gt), −g + 2v0 ω cos α cos λ), (4)
where the corrections to the y and z components are not important to first order;
they basically just deform the parabola, changing the time of impact slightly.
The deviation from the original direction of motion towards the South is given
by
x = v0 t2 ω cos α sin λ, (5)
and the time of flight is
2v0 sin α 2v0 sin α
t= ≈ . (6)
g − 2v0 ω cos α cos λ g
Thus the deflection due to the Coriolis force to leading order is
4ωv03
dcor = sin2 α cos α sin λ. (7)
g2
The same procedure can be applied to calculate the deflection due to the cen-
trifugal force (in the same direction), which is not negligible unless v0 is very
large:
2ω 2 REarth v02
dcen = sin2 α cos λ sin λ. (8)
g2

2 Problem 10.19
Once again, the Coriolis force is given by the expression:
F~ = −2m~
ω × ~v , (9)
where m is the mass of the particle, ω~ the angular velocity of the non-inertial
frame and ~v the velocity in that frame. In our case the data is:
m = 1300kg (10)
2π −1
ω
~ = h ẑ (11)
24
km
~v = −100 θ̂ (North) (12)
h
λ = 65◦ N, (13)

2
where λ is the latitude. The direction of the force is given by the right hand
rule; it points East. Its magnitude is

F = 2mωv sin λ = 4.78N. (14)

3 Frictionless Puck on Turntable

Taking into account Coriolis and centrifugal effects, the inertial force in the
rotating frame of the turntable is

F~ef f = ma~r = −m(~

ω × (~
ω × ~r) + 2~
ω × v~r . (15)

The coordinate system is defined with respect to the centre of the turntable,
with the z-axis pointing out of the page. Thus

ω
~ = (0, 0, ω), (16)
~r = (x, y, 0), (17)
v~r = (ẋ, ẏ, 0), (18)

and hence
 
 î ĵ k̂ 
 
~ × (~
ω ω × ~r) =  0 0 w 

 −yω xω 0 
= (−xω 2 , −yω 2 , 0).

Also,
 
 î ĵ k̂ 
 
~ × v~r
ω =  0 0 ω 
 (19)
 ẋ ẏ 0 
= (−ẏω, ẋω, 0). (20)

Therefore we find the acceleration

a~r = −~
ω × (~ ω × v~r = (xω 2 + 2ẏω, yω 2 − 2ẋω, 0).
ω × ~r) − 2~ (21)

Splitting this up into components, we see that

ẍ = xω 2 + 2ẏω,
(22)
ÿ = yω 2 − 2ẋω.

Now consider the complex coordinate q ≡ x + iy, such that these two real
equations can be written as

q̈ − ω 2 q + 2iω q̇ = 0. (23)

3
We make the ansatz
√
iγt −2ω ± 4ω 2 − 4ω 2
q = Ae ⇒ γ= = −ω,
2
and since both roots are the same the solution is

q = Ae−iωt + Bte−iωt , (24)

where A and B are complex. Writing A = C + Di and B = E + F i, the initial

conditions show that C = x0 , D = 0, E = vx and F = vy + x0 ω. Thus the final
answer is
x = (x0 + vx t) cos ωt + (vy + x0 ω)t sin ωt,
(25)
y = (vy + x0 ω)t cos ωt − (x0 + vx t) sin ωt.

4 Compton Generator
We define our coordinate axes as in the first problem such that

ω
~ = (−ω cos λ, 0, ω sin λ). (26)

The position of a point along the water-filled tube is

~r = (R cos α cos θ, R sin θ, R sin α cos θ), (27)

where θ is the angle along the ring (defined with respect to the x-axis), and α
is the angle of rotation. Therefore, since α is changes with time

v~r = ~ṙ = (−R cos θα̇ sin α, 0, R cos θα̇ cos α). (28)

Thus we find
 

 î ĵ k̂ 

~ × v~r
ω =  −ω cos λ 0 ω sin λ 

 −R cos θα̇ sin α 0 R cos θα̇ cos α 
= −ĵ(−Rω α̇ cos λ cos θ cos α + Rω α̇ sin λ cos θ sin α).

Hence the acceleration due to the Coriolis force is

~a = −2Rω α̇ cos θ cos(λ + α)ĵ. (29)

It points in the y-direction, though we really need the tangential acceleration,

which we obtain by multiplying by cos θ. We then average over the ring to find
the mean acceleration (which is what matters for an incompressible fluid)
Z 2π
1
hai = −2Rω α̇ cos2 θ cos(λ + α)dθ = −Rω α̇ cos(λ + α).
2π 0

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Now integrating over half a period of revolution we find the final average tan-
gential velocity. Though it is clear that it does not make a difference, we may
assume we rotate the ring at a constant angular velocity α = 2π τ t.
Z τ
2
vt = −Rω α̇ cos(λ + α)dt = 2Rω sin λ. (30)
0

Therefore, the velocity of the water in the tube is given by vt = 2Rω sin λ, where
λ is defined from the equator. It is interesting to note that a rotation from the
vertical to the vertical position (i.e. from - τ2 to τ2 ) produces a cos λ dependence,
while a full rotation by 2π does not produce any motion.