Will a building smash into me?

Compared to what I've read on this forum, my question seems pretty silly, but it has plagued me for a long time and I would like an answer.

We all know the earth turns from west to east. Imagine you could hover dead still in one place in the air by levitation, or otherwise maybe in a helicopter. Lets say you are hovering on the east side of a large building, say 10m away from the building. Now as the earth turns, the building should move towards you and bump into you.

Will this in fact happen or will you move with the earth - because the earth's atmosphere moves with the earth?? - and stay at a distance of 10m from the building? Obviously when your feet are on the ground, you move with the earth, but if you could hover in the air.....?:shrug:

 

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But...but...you can't do that!

 

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You move with the earth - because the earth's atmosphere moves with the earth. That's why helicopters can hover without buildings flyswatting them, and things drop from tall buildings fall parallel to walls instead of curving away.

 

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You mean counterclockwise..

How do you think the pilot will orientate himself ? He will orientate himself in relation to the building or any other landmark (that is attached to the earth and will thus move at the same pace.)

Edit: By the way, what is still.. ? In relation to what ?

 

no it wouldnt, because the air around you is ALSO moving. Think of it like a geo stationary satlite orbating the earth as the earth goes round

 

Still in relation to the moving building

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it is posable to stay still in realtion to the earth by flying towards the west at the same speed the earth rotates, alot of planes tried it on newyears eve in the year 2000 and in this case yes you would smash into the building but if you just hover then your still moving or rather not if your do it in realationship to the earth

 

So the pilot will actually aim and fly into the building on purpose ? lol

 

Wha?
you're confused and are confusing others. The sun rises in the east where I live.

 

what did i say?

I am sure i said you would be flying east

 

ops sorry my mestake
i ment to say flying east

Sorry

 

Yes, but the falling object hits the earth in seconds. If the building were high enough and the object fell for long enough, would the building not move towards the object as it fell? The earth moves 1 degree in about 4 minutes, I'm not sure what that equates to in meters?

 

if you drop it in freefall then no, it would DEFINITLY hit the building because as i said the AIR is moving. Actually i have no idea because the air is not moving at the same speed as the earth so it depends, thats why parashoots have steering

 

Originally Posted by Asguard
it is posable to stay still in realtion to the earth by flying towards the west at the same speed the earth rotates, alot of planes tried it on newyears eve in the year 2000 and in this case yes you would smash into the building but if you just hover then your still moving or rather not if your do it in realationship to the earth

Wouldn't the planes fly west in order to chase the sun and prolong the day? I don't think a passenger plane can fly fast enough? If you flew east at the same speed that the earth rotates, you would effectively stay in the same place above the earth like a geostationary satellite? Does anyone know at speed in meters/second the earth rotates?

 

Another thought along the same lines - if I jump high enough on a trampoline and stay in the air for long enough, would my trampoline have moved along by the time I come down causing me to land on the ground. I just can't believe that the air in which I am "suspended" will move me along at the same speed as the trampoline, which is fixed to the ground.

 

You cannot move further down the carriage of a train just by jumping straight up, and landing a little further down each time. Same with the earth.
If you're on the roof of the train however, then you'd make it to the back very quickly by jumping straight up.

Forgot to say: You'll only land in the same place (if jumping inside the train) assuming a constant speed.

 

Thanks Nesm. Good analogy, but please explain why? Is it because you are moving at the same speed as the train when you jump up so you land on the same spot?

 

There is no such thing as "still". Even if you rotated with the Earth, the Earth is still rotating around the sun. You can easily set up conditions to smash into a building, but it wouldn't mean anything.

 

Why would it make a difference if you were on top of the train?

 

Once inside the moving train, you are moving at a constant velocity. When you jump up, you maintain that velocity. Should the train speed up or slow down, the difference in velocity would result in a new landing spot.

If you're on top of the train, you are moving at a constant velocity. When you jump up, an external force (air resistance) causes you to slow down. The train passes beneath you...