There’s no such thing as centrifugal force. Inertia would send spinning objects off on tangential vectors, but centripetal force, exerted via your hand, a handle, string, etc., holds them in orbit.
So, to be physically accurate, it’s inertia pulling their lives apart. Sorry to be the nerd that breaks your haiku. ;)
Good to hear from you, Eric. And for the record, nerds are welcome around here ;)
I will bow to what I know is a superior scientific mind on this one.
Perhaps to explain where I was coming from, I should point to the example of the amusement ride they used to call the “Rotor“, which a teacher of mine once referred to as an example of centrifugal force.
It’s still one of my all-time favorite rides, btw.
Actually, the Rotor is a fantastic example of centripetal force. If not for the walls holding riders in, they’d all fly out, with initially tangential vectors. Gravity would be a factor as well, though, so everybody’s trajectory would be parabolic.
Way to blend physics into your work. Btw, sounds like my life lately.
PJ
26 Mar 08 at 6:55 am
Mine too. Eerie!!
Heather
26 Mar 08 at 7:50 pm
It was definitely my life over the past week
howard
27 Mar 08 at 2:49 am
There’s no such thing as centrifugal force. Inertia would send spinning objects off on tangential vectors, but centripetal force, exerted via your hand, a handle, string, etc., holds them in orbit.
So, to be physically accurate, it’s inertia pulling their lives apart. Sorry to be the nerd that breaks your haiku. ;)
Eric W
10 Apr 08 at 10:35 pm
Good to hear from you, Eric. And for the record, nerds are welcome around here ;)
I will bow to what I know is a superior scientific mind on this one.
Perhaps to explain where I was coming from, I should point to the example of the amusement ride they used to call the “Rotor“, which a teacher of mine once referred to as an example of centrifugal force.
It’s still one of my all-time favorite rides, btw.
howard
11 Apr 08 at 4:49 pm
Actually, the Rotor is a fantastic example of centripetal force. If not for the walls holding riders in, they’d all fly out, with initially tangential vectors. Gravity would be a factor as well, though, so everybody’s trajectory would be parabolic.
Eric W
12 Apr 08 at 7:24 pm