Chapter 11, Problem 47A

Where is the center of mass of Earth’s atmosphere?

To determine

To Explain: The location of center of mass of the earth’s atmosphere.

Answer to Problem 47A

The center of mass of the earth’s atmosphere is located at exactly at the center of the earth.

Explanation of Solution

Introduction:

The center of mass of an object is defined as the position where the weighted relative position is zero. Under the influence of an external force, the center of mass describes the overall motion of the system.

Center of mass of the Earth’s atmosphere is considered at the geometrical center of Earth because Earth is considered as a symmetric spherical in shape and having symmetric distribution of the atmosphere around it. Thus, it can be concluded that the center of mass of the Earth’s atmosphere lies at the center of mass of the Earth.

Conclusion:

The center of mass of the Earth’s atmosphere lies at the center of mass of the Earth.