Local g
Local g
Permanent link to this comic:
https://xkcd.com/852/
Image URL (for hotlinking/embedding):
https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/local_g.png
He: Did you know that because of centrifugal* force and the shape of the Earth, "gravity" can vary by nearly half a percent between major cities?
*Yes, centrifugal. xkcd.com
123
He: That's not a lot, but it could affect, say, pole vaulting. In a 5m jump, it could make a difference of 2cm.
She: Huh, interesting.
He: I'm going to write an article reevaluating vaulting records to take this into account.
Three days later:
She: Good job. There's an angry mob of athletes outside.
[[He looks off the balcony. The mob of athletes is out of frame.]]
Athlete: That record was mine!
Athlete: How dare you cast doubt on our honor?
Athlete: Have you no respect?!
Athlete: Make him pay!
He: Hey, the math doesn't lie. Suck it, jocks.
She: Dude, don't provoke them.
He: Whatever. The building's locked. Let 'em vent for a--
<<crash>>
Off-panel Athlete: GET HIM!
He: Crap!
He: How did the pole vaulters get up to our balcony?
She: ...
[[Beat frame]]
She: That might be the stupidest question I've ever heard.
He: Right.
{{Title text: In Rio de Janeiro in 2016, the same jump will get an athlete 0.25% higher (>1cm) than in London four years prior.}}
