posted
Ah, that explains it, rivka. Newton must have used a different gravitational constant and/or "Earth"mass and/or "Earth"radius (which weren't very precisely known back then) than is currently used for calculating Earth orbits. And the instructor who posted the java program used Newton's original numbers.
Initially, I didn't think about the height of the "mountain" when compared to the two different launch velocities. Then I thought of SpaceshipOne reaching a maximum speed of ~Mach3.09 for the final climb up to ~112kilometres/367,442feet to win the XPrize. Which made the discrepencies really stand out. The 16,168mph/26,030kph initial velocity of the circular "mountain-top"height orbit is too low for an Earth-orbit when combined with the fall-distance implied by the 15,524mph/25,000kph initial velocity of the elliptical lowest possible orbit: ie the orbit which begins at "mountain-top"height, falls to near"sea"level at the point opposite/180degrees from the "mountain" without "crashing into the sea", then rises to "mountain-top"height again.
posted
Yeah, assume makes us brave enough to get outta bed in the morning insteada being petrified by the fear that we'll fall through the floor to be crushed, fried, and carbonized somewhere along the journey to Earth's core. Your bridge is built on a large set of assumptions. As is everything that everyone does.
posted
Can i have a little atmosphere room to continue to breath during the experiment ? you'll be nice. And if possible bowling ball prouf. And with something to eat. And a coffee. Please. Posts: 1189 | Registered: Dec 2004
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