Physics · Glossary

What is Geocentric and terrestrial frames?

Definition 18.8 University Physics — Year 1 · Chapter 18 — Non-Inertial Frames; Dynamics on Earth

The geocentric frame has its origin at the Earth’s center and axes pointing to fixed stars; it is inertial to an excellent approximation for motions of a day or less (its own acceleration around the Sun is only 6×103m/s26 \times 10^{-3}\,\mathrm{m}/\mathrm{s}^{2}, and nearly uniform over the Earth). The terrestrial frame, attached to the ground, rotates with respect to it about the polar axis at

Ω=2π86164s=7.29×105rad/s.\Omega = \frac{2\pi}{86\,164\,\mathrm{s}} = 7.29 \times 10^{-5}\,\mathrm{rad}/\mathrm{s} .
Read in context →