Planetary Tunnels with Coriolis Effect
Planetary Tunnels with Coriolis Effect
If you were to dig a tunnel into a planet, what shape would the tunnel have to be so that when you drop an object into it, the object's fall is unobstructed? The object will not necessarily fall in a straight line because of Coriolis forces. This Demonstration shows the path needed for the tunnel under various planetary conditions, including planet radius, surface gravity, rotational period, and initial starting latitude.