Tell me more ×
Physics Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for active researchers, academics and students of physics. It's 100% free, no registration required.
up vote 0 down vote favorite

Suppose I set up a Foucault pendulum and observe that it precesses at a rate of 216.528 degrees per day. While I am observing this, a total solar eclipse occurs. Where am I, and what is the date?

My professor NEVER went over anything like this, so a shove in the right direction would be awesome.

share|improve this question
2  
So where is your work on the problem? Any relevant equation? I mean, we are here to help you with concepts to answer your homework, not to directly answer it. IF your professor did not directly cover it, or tangentially talk about, perhaps it is in your assigned textbooks. – Dylan Sabulsky Nov 4 '12 at 22:01
It obviously has to do with rotating reference frames, I don't know much more than that, let the angle lambda be the angle between O' and the equator. I'm not an astronomer – Cactus BAMF Nov 4 '12 at 22:25
2  
First order of business is to find where the heck on Earth you are. First, ω=360sin(ϕ)/day, where ω is 216.528 degrees; ϕ is the latitude of your position. North of the equator is positive, south negative. This gives you a band to follow around the earth horizontally, positions where could possibly be. You can further narrow your position down because a Foucault pendulum can be used to find the acceleration of gravity at its position. Once you figure this out, you can go to NASA websites and check out when this location has its next or last total solar eclipse. – Dylan Sabulsky Nov 4 '12 at 22:35
1  
You are my savior – Cactus BAMF Nov 4 '12 at 22:53
I'm glad that helped! I deleted this as an answer cause I thought it wasn't complete enough for your purpose. I reposted it below for your enjoyment with a link to some more mathematically focused explanations of Foucault's Pendulum. – Dylan Sabulsky Nov 4 '12 at 22:55

1 Answer

up vote 1 down vote accepted

First order of business is to find where the heck on Earth you are. First, $\omega = 360 \sin(\phi)/day$, where $\omega$ is 216.528 degrees; $\phi$ is the latitude of your position. North of the equator is positive, south negative. This gives you a band to follow around the earth horizontally, positions where could possibly be. You can further narrow your position down because a Foucault pendulum can be used to find the acceleration of gravity at its position. Once you figure this out, you can go to NASA websites and check out when this location has its next or last total solar eclipse.

share|improve this answer
Hope that helps too, for a deeper understanding – Dylan Sabulsky Nov 4 '12 at 22:33

Your Answer

 
discard

By posting your answer, you agree to the privacy policy and terms of service.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.