If there was a hole that went clear through the earth and you fell into it what would happen?

Question

That is if the hole was lined with something that could withstand the heat and pressure of the Earth's core. Would you gradually slow down and stop at the center and then have to start climbing up?

Answer 1

If it were a free fall and nothing to support, your velocity would actually be at the maximum near the center of the earth, whereas the gravitational force would be zero. As a result, you will overshoot and then continue onto the other side of the hole.



Assuming a lossless situation, you will reach the other side of the earth, at which your velocity would be zero. You could either choose to get out of the hole or just stay still, in which case you will repeat the entire motion over and over again - thus executing an oscillatory motion. However, if the situation were lossy, then you will keep getting farther and farther away from the surface of the earth at every oscillation, and finally come to stop at the center of the earth.

Answer 2

Hello Kayla don't worry dear, let me explain you. Suppose you make a drilled hole through the centre of the earth, and as you fall through then you will be accelerated towards the centre and you would gain a high velocity with which you would go away from the centre and reach the other end ie top of the earth and again start falling towards the centre. So you will be oscillating simple harmonically about the centre of the earth. By definition of SHM, the acceleration on your body is directly proportional to the displacement from the centre of the earth but always directed towards the centre. At the centre of the earth the acceleration is zero and no harm in this. So no need to have gravity at the centre.

Answer 3

Wow, what a question!!! I'll be back with the answer.



Few minutes later: The thing is impossible but answering your IF, you will fall passing the earth center without reaching the other end and then you will be back at somewhere after the entry point, and so on, oscillating every time with less intensity until total stop in the earth center (imagine a bouncing ball). You will never go out without help if the hole is straight. If the surface is not smooth and thermal isolated you will die or hurt yourself really bad.

Answer 4

No, you will not slow down gradually as the earth pull yourself towards it's center and it is the only center where you stop and at the center you will oscillate like pendulum for some time due to gravity. you have to climb up manually, and you will not fell further after you reach to center beause when you reach to center the gravitational force on your body from all direction are equal and counterbalanceing each other so there will be equal and opposite force from all directions and you will stuck in center then you have to climb up manually

Answer 5

You would continue to accelerate downwards but at a slower and slower rate and hit top speed as you pass the centre before starting to decelerate. You would then eventually hit zero speed as you come out the other side.



Of course, if you include air resistance into the equation you would stop some way short of the other side of the world and start to fall back down again!

Answer 6

No. Provided that this insanely ridiculous scenario could happen - which it can't - you would be accelerated at a tremendous speed until you reached the center of the earth, at which time you would be compressed into a very small piece of something from the intense gtravitational force you would be under. Also, I would imagine anything with poles (i.e. + or -) would be sucked from your body by the incredible magnetic force present at the center of the earth.

Answer 7

Impossible to happen. However, if you insist the scenario. You will be stuck there forever. Because the highest gravitational pull is at the center.

Answer 8

Think of a pendulum. This is assuming something held back the magma. One would oscilate til friction stopped you in the middle.

Answer 9

Yeah, I think so. That would be fun. YOU WOULD BE THE CENTER OF EVERYTHING! (in the world)

Answer 10

You would be suspended in the middle probably...

Answer 11

you would get the hell of a ride !