If a helicopter hovered in place for 24 hours, would it circumnavigate the globe?

To answer the question posed, no. Check

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circumnavigation

. You'd need to pass through two points on opposite sides of the globe - so by definition, circumnavigation is relative to the object in question, in this case the globe.

Similarly, the speed of sound is in terms of airspeed. So with no wind, sound would travel just as fast to the east as to the west.

How about this: If Michael Wardian was running while peeing on a treadmill at a velocity of 4.25 meters/sec with a red LED light on his back to alert hovering helicopters, in principle would he appear different if he were facing east or west?

can't the reindeer go anaerobic?

Yeah sure, why not.

I have nothing to contribute but letsrun is awesome!

Thanks guys!

Are we talking about the rogue helicopter terrorizing Charlotte, NC?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zA1hyqA6UTY

Boring old man wrote:

To answer the question posed, no. Check

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circumnavigation

. You'd need to pass through two points on opposite sides of the globe - so by definition, circumnavigation is relative to the object in question, in this case the globe.

Similarly, the speed of sound is in terms of airspeed. So with no wind, sound would travel just as fast to the east as to the west.

How about this: If Michael Wardian was running while peeing on a treadmill at a velocity of 4.25 meters/sec with a red LED light on his back to alert hovering helicopters, in principle would he appear different if he were facing east or west?

Yes, there would be a difference, but not due to the variability in the speed at which light travels. Obviously, if Mr. Wardian were peeing to the east, the stream would be arcing back into his face because of the earth's rotational speed and direction, which would result in the LED light shorting out. His neighbors on the adjacent treadmills probably wouldn't be too happy with this experiment, though.

dean moriarty wrote:

Are we talking about the rogue helicopter terrorizing Charlotte, NC?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zA1hyqA6UTY

What a nut job. We should extend an honorary membership to the LR boards to him. I bet he could produce some entertaining ranting posts.

and if you jogged in place for a day you could say that you ran around the world, and in record time too.

No. Don't you guys know what hover, and circumnavigate mean?

first, you must consider the circumference of the earth. so take multiply that by 3.14. and depdending what hemisphere its on, then you can then multiply by 3.14. so that gives you seven. all calculations are an estimate so please be foregiving but my answer is yes.

Astronutz

well, dean moriarty, this could be evidence that too much benzedrine eventually leads to one being found dead and naked on a railroad track with a hammer in one's hand. just say'in.

I don't have anything to add to this inane (although entertaining) discussion, but this is pretty cool.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tzga6qAaBA

science moment wrote:

Say you landed on a planet that had no atmosphere and that after standing on the ground for a while, you were able to pull out your anti-gravity device that allowed you to hover stationary 10 feet above the ground. Your lateral momentum would keep you there above the same spot on the ground.

Really? The surface of planets (the "ground") is a curved one, and it travels in a curved line. Why would a body, with no gravitational forces being exerted on it, and not aerodynamic drag, travel in a curve?

No, you would not circumnavigate the earth. Ever looked up and seen a traffic helicopter staying in the same place over an high traffic area during rush hour? Ever think to yourself, "gee whiz, it's amazing that the helicopter has to travel 900 mph just to stay in the same place up there, and thus avoid having the earth rotate away from it. I really appreciate those traffic reports now"? I imagine you haven't thought that.

Meanwhile, if you've ever looked through a telescope at some stars (without having the tracking motor on), you WOULD be like "holy cow, I'm trying to look at some stars, but the darn things keep flying out of my field of view."

The difference is that the helicopter lives within your same "inertial frame", meaning that it feels all the same motions and forces as the earth below it - they rotate together. The stars are not - the earth rotates, the stars don't whirl around with it.

Only snotty hypothetical scenarios can help this sort of question.

a good answer.

But he never defined "in place" so ...

this is like the plane on the treadmil question;

there is NO right answer

chuck norris could fly the helicopter with his mind while doing your mother.

f'n AWESOME!!! wrote:

well, dean moriarty, this could be evidence that too much benzedrine eventually leads to one being found dead and naked on a railroad track with a hammer in one's hand. just say'in.

If I had a hammer, I'd hammer out love between my brothers and my sisters all over this land (which is, in fact, where the helicopter would be hovering).

ill bet joe guinness reads the shit out of this thread...