Question

the linear velocity of a point on the surface earth at a latitude of 60 degrees is

Answer 1

Distance around the earth at a latitude is given by :

Distance = 2πrSinФ

Where Ф = the latitude

r = radius of the earth.

Radius of the earth = 6378.1 km

The rotation of the earth takes 24 hrs.

This in seconds is :

24 × 60 × 60 = 86400 seconds

The radius in meters is :

6378.1 × 1000 = 6378100 m

The latitude is 60° in our case.

Doing the substitution :

2 × 3.142 × 6378100 × Sin 60° = 34710281.21m

The linear velocity is :

34710281.21/86400 = 401. 74 m/s

= 401.74 m/s