drilling a hole to australlia

[jimmer]

imagine i had a bloody big drill and i drilled right through the earth to australlia going through the core so the earth had a bloody big hole roight through the middle then i jumped down it.. ( assuming the hole maintained its integrity) would i fall: to the centre and stop? to australlia and stop bounce up and down for ever? thanks jim.

[Quizmonster]

Click http://www.physlink.com/Education/AskExperts/ae52.
cfm for a physics expert's answer.

[Buffy]

You and your drill would melt as you approached the Earth's molten core!

[Mark Carter]

http://www.fi.edu/fellows/fellow4/nov98/ for a far superior answer to the rather lacklustre remark made by quizmonster, see above

[sft42]

Excuse me Mr. Carter. A couple of points: Firstly QM didn't actually make any remarks he merely provided a link for the questioner to follow, Secondly it isn't up to you to decide on the veracity of any replies but the person who posted the question in the first place (that's what the star system is for) and lastly you would do well to follow the excellent example set by QM as he is one of the most respected and erudite users of this site who's answers are always first class.

PS Personally I thought the first link given was the better of the two.

[darth vader]

agree with sft42 - not only is QM a guru Josh when it comes to AB answering, but i found his link to give a perfect answer, whereas Monsieur Carter's link went nowhere (except a home page). Besides which it's all hypothetical as one would simply go "splosh" when you hit the magma layer. Hello folks Darth is back - had a bit of a break that's all (plus i was sulking cos AB editor was getting a bit heavy after the Answerbok saga)

[jimmer]

thanks guys QM just got the jump on carts this time tho i'm grateful to both for their efforts. thanks for pitching in their garth you are right about the sploshing not to mention the fact that its not possible, the earth would have a bloddy big hole through it, my drill would melt, where would i put the dug out soil etc, surely someone would come along and tell me i need planning permission and slap an injunction on me. i just wanted to know how gravity worked people.

[Quizmonster]

Thanks Sft and Darth - good to see you both still around after all - for "sticking up for my response", as it were, and for your kind comments on me personally whilst doing so. I had just decided to let the rather silly comment pass as being hardly worth bothering about.

Since Jimmer started the body of the question with the key injunction, "Imagine", it seemed rather unnecessary to point out the sheer practical problems. After all, it's not impossible to imagine the impossible, is it? Cheers

[darth vader]

garth? who is garth? I'll be sending the troops round if yer not careful! Actually if you ignore the impracticalities of melting shovels and sploshing sounds etc. then my opinion is that both websites mentioned forget to consider that the planet is constantly spinning therefore momentum will play some part in your downfall on each "swing of the pendulum" to the point where you are no longer falling down, but down at a slight angle - suffice to say you will eventually touch the side of the hole and start a ricochet effect similar to firing a gun down a tube at an angle (which was always great fun in my army cadet days!) so "dampened" harmonic motion would be short lived. Just IMHO of course...

[darth vader]

Anyway it would NEVER work cos you can't get a power cord long enough

[Janetex]

If you do attempt it, don't forget to take a goose with you.

[StevieBoy]

Drill for sale , as seen on "Armageddon" signed by Bruce Willis. Extension cord available. Buyer collects. Compatable with Australian voltage. (Thanks for a good 5 minute read chaps!!!)

[incitatus]

is it too late to point out that assuming you to be in the uk you wouldnt hit australia at all? the antipode is closer to NZ

[Mark Carter]

Jimmer, don't forget to take humour with you.