A Conversation for The Myth Of 42 [(5-3+0+5) * (6+0) = 42]

Tunnel through the earth

Post 1

ExTab

This is the best explanation I've heard.

If you were to dig a frictionless tunnel through the earth and jump into it, your period of oscillation would be 84 minutes. In other words, it takes 42 minutes to fall through the earth to the other side.

It doesn't matter whether the tunnel does straight down to Australia or across to Russia or wherever.


Tunnel through the earth

Post 2

Argon0 (50 and feeling it - back for a bit)

<er/m a quick search, followed by a quick calculation give me an average speed for that of: 11323.44 mph....

Which is VERY quick - ... smiley - erm that's 5062.03 metre's per second...

It would reach its MAXIMUM speed 21 minutes into the journey at the centre of the Earth = 6378.16 km down.... = 6378160 metres...

Assuming acceleration is constant (which btw, it wouldn't be) at 9.8 m/s/s ...

IN 21 minutes.... Velocity would be v=u+at u=0 so v= 12096m/s

Distance travelled s = ut + .5att = .5att = 4.9tt = 7779240m

OK... OK... So I guess it is possible -


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