Effect of Earth’s Rotation on Gravity – Rankers Physics
Topic: Gravitation
Subtopic: Acceleration Due to Gravity and its variation

Effect of Earth’s Rotation on Gravity


Assertion : If rotation of earth about its own axis is suddenly stopped then acceleration due to gravity will increase at all places on the earth (except poles).
Reason : At height \(h\) from the surface of earth, acceleration due to gravity is \(g_h = g \left(1 - \frac{2h}{R_e}\right)\) (If \(h \ll R_e\)) [\(R_e \rightarrow\) radius of earth]
 
Both Assertion and Reason are true but Reason is NOT the correct explanation of Assertion.
Assertion is true but Reason is false.
Assertion is false but Reason is true.
Both Assertion and Reason are true and Reason is the correct explanation of Assertion.

Solution:

The effective gravity is \(g' = g - \omega^2 R \cos^2\lambda\). If rotation stops (\(\omega = 0\)), \(g'\) increases everywhere except the poles (where \(\lambda = 90^\circ\)). Thus Assertion is true. The Reason is also a true independent formula for gravity at a height, but not the explanation.

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