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Related Concept Videos

Influence of Earth's Curvature and Atmospheric Refraction on Leveling01:26

Influence of Earth's Curvature and Atmospheric Refraction on Leveling

During leveling, the Earth's curvature and atmospheric refraction introduce deviations in the line of sight from a true horizontal reference. When the line of sight is leveled, it remains perpendicular to the plumb line only at a single point. Beyond this, it deviates due to the Earth’s curvature, represented by the correction C. For a sight distance D, the deviation can be derived using the relationship:This relationship shows that the deviation increases quadratically with distance. Over a...
Variation in Acceleration due to Gravity near the Earth's Surface01:20

Variation in Acceleration due to Gravity near the Earth's Surface

An object's apparent weight is its weight measured by a spring balance at its location. It is different from its true weight, the force with which the Earth pulls it, because of the Earth's rotation. Mathematically, an object's apparent weight equals its true weight minus the centripetal force that keeps it in a circular motion along with the Earth's surface every 24 hours.
The difference between the true and apparent weights is proportional to the square of the Earth's angular speed. Since the...
Apparent Weight and the Earth's Rotation01:28

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Since all objects on the Earth's surface move through a circle every 24 hours, there must be a net centripetal force on each object, directed towards the center of that circle. The points of the north and south poles are the only exception to this rule.
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Acceleration due to Gravity on Earth01:21

Acceleration due to Gravity on Earth

According to Newton's law of gravitation, the gravitational force on a body is proportional to its mass. According to Newton's second law of motion, the acceleration produced by an external force is inversely proportional to the force. Hence, the acceleration of an object under an external force of gravitation is independent of its mass.
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Acceleration due to Gravity on Earth00:55

Acceleration due to Gravity on Earth

Newton's second law is closely related to his first law of motion. It mathematically gives the cause-and-effect relationship between force and changes in motion. Newton's second law is quantitative and is used extensively to calculate what happens in situations involving a force. All external forces acting on a system add together to produce a net force Fnet. A larger net external force produces a larger acceleration. This acceleration is directly proportional to, and in the same direction as,...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 12, 2026

Exploring the Effects of Atmospheric Forcings on Evaporation: Experimental Integration of the Atmospheric Boundary Layer and Shallow Subsurface
13:27

Exploring the Effects of Atmospheric Forcings on Evaporation: Experimental Integration of the Atmospheric Boundary Layer and Shallow Subsurface

Published on: June 8, 2015

GEOPHYSICS: Atmosphere Drives Earth's Tipsiness.

R A Kerr

    Science (New York, N.Y.)
    |September 7, 2007
    PubMed
    Summary

    Scientists have identified the cause of Earth's mysterious wobble, known as the Chandler wobble. Shifting deep-sea pressures and atmospheric winds are the primary drivers of this planetary instability.

    Area of Science:

    • Geophysics
    • Earth Science
    • Atmospheric Science

    Background:

    • Earth's rotation exhibits a rhythmic unsteadiness, a slight wobble, observed for over a century.
    • The precise origins of this phenomenon, termed the Chandler wobble, have remained largely unexplained.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To identify the source of the long-observed Chandler wobble.
    • To elucidate the geophysical and atmospheric mechanisms driving Earth's rotational instability.

    Main Methods:

    • Analysis of geophysical data related to Earth's rotation.
    • Correlation of rotational variations with oceanic pressure changes and atmospheric patterns.

    Main Results:

    • Shifting pressures within the deep sea are identified as a key factor influencing the wobble.

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    Last Updated: Jul 12, 2026

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  • Atmospheric dynamics, specifically wind patterns, are also implicated as a significant contributor.

    • Conclusions:

    • The Chandler wobble is driven by a combination of deep-sea pressure variations and atmospheric wind fluctuations.
    • This finding resolves a long-standing mystery in geophysics regarding Earth's rotational stability.