The Flat Earth Society

Flat Earth Discussion Boards => Flat Earth General => Topic started by: digitalartist on March 01, 2011, 08:41:52 AM

Title: You need to correct the wiki
Post by: digitalartist on March 01, 2011, 08:41:52 AM
I'm starting to look through the wiki more thoroughly and have found an error that needs to be corrected

In the section on foucault's pendulum, found at:  http://www.theflatearthsociety.org/tiki/tiki-index.php?page=Foucault+Pendulum  It says:

Quote
Summarily, the line of the pendula must be 25 meters in length to get the minimum effect, and so by necessity, Leon Focault's original experiments between latitudes were conducted outside hung from a tree exposed to the elements. Dr. Rowbotham finds that the variations of the pendulum by latitude are caused entirely by the contraction and expansion of its line due to temperature variations upon the earth's surface in relation to the nearness of the Sun. These variations match up perfectly with the official published results of Focault's experiments.

Please compare that with the information found on page 90 of Moving the Stars by Christian Doppler 

http://books.google.com/books?id=heDNmF9UZ6gC&pg=PA90&dq=foucault+cave+experiment&hl=en&ei=MB5tTdunCIGC8gaQrLWNDQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCgQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=foucault%20cave%20experiment&f=false

As you can clearly see, of the 3 experiments, none were conducted from a tree, none were exposed to the elements and 2 of the 3 experiments had lines shorter that what is declared as the necessary length.
Title: Re: You need to correct the wiki
Post by: Username on March 01, 2011, 09:27:59 AM
I'll review this information when I have some time available and make appropriate corrections;  thank you;
Title: Re: You need to correct the wiki
Post by: Tom Bishop on March 01, 2011, 09:28:15 AM
That part of the FEWiki you quoted is talking about the variations by latitude, not the simple fact that the pendulum rotates.

I didn't read anything in your link testing the variations of the pendulum at various different latitudes to test the variations by latitude.
Title: Re: You need to correct the wiki
Post by: Username on March 01, 2011, 10:13:49 AM
That part of the FEWiki you quoted is talking about the variations by latitude, not the simple fact that the pendulum rotates.

I didn't read anything in your link testing the variations of the pendulum at various different latitudes to test the variations by latitude.
As Tom as reviewed this I will trust his judgement, but look at it at a much later date (as determined by schedule.)
Title: Re: You need to correct the wiki
Post by: Around And About on March 01, 2011, 10:34:40 AM
That part of the FEWiki you quoted is talking about the variations by latitude, not the simple fact that the pendulum rotates.

I didn't read anything in your link testing the variations of the pendulum at various different latitudes to test the variations by latitude.

How is that relevant to the suggested correction at all? My phone won't let me view the link properly.
Title: Re: You need to correct the wiki
Post by: Tom Bishop on March 01, 2011, 11:10:02 AM
That part of the FEWiki you quoted is talking about the variations by latitude, not the simple fact that the pendulum rotates.

I didn't read anything in your link testing the variations of the pendulum at various different latitudes to test the variations by latitude.

How is that relevant to the suggested correction at all? My phone won't let me view the link properly.

The OP is saying that the Variations by Latitude section in the FEWiki is wrong, but his source does not look at the variations of the pendulum by latitude.

The three experiments he referenced in his link are just looking at the rotation of the pendulum. They aren't testing the variation by latitude.
Title: Re: You need to correct the wiki
Post by: markjo on March 01, 2011, 12:45:37 PM
Quote
Summarily, the line of the pendula must be 25 meters in length to get the minimum effect, and so by necessity, Leon Focault's original experiments between latitudes were conducted outside hung from a tree exposed to the elements.

As you can clearly see, of the 3 experiments, none were conducted from a tree, none were exposed to the elements and 2 of the 3 experiments had lines shorter that what is declared as the necessary length.

Tom and John, I believe that the parts in bold are the relevant errors that the OP is pointing out.
Title: Re: You need to correct the wiki
Post by: Tom Bishop on March 01, 2011, 01:14:11 PM
Quote
Summarily, the line of the pendula must be 25 meters in length to get the minimum effect, and so by necessity, Leon Focault's original experiments between latitudes were conducted outside hung from a tree exposed to the elements.

As you can clearly see, of the 3 experiments, none were conducted from a tree, none were exposed to the elements and 2 of the 3 experiments had lines shorter that what is declared as the necessary length.

Tom and John, I believe that the parts in bold are the relevant errors that the OP is pointing out.

The experiments in the OP's link isn't testing variation by latitude. That's why his link and his argument is invalid. It does not address the subject matter: Variations by Latitude.

His complaint about line length is also invalid. The pendulums in exhibits have shorter line lengths because they tend to be powered pendulums, and thus are not comparable to Focault's original experiments. Short line pendulums are unstable and inaccurate, which is why the original variations by latitude experiments were done with lines of 25 meters or more.

In the OP's link the one in Paris had a line length of 67 meters.
Title: Re: You need to correct the wiki
Post by: markjo on March 01, 2011, 02:36:38 PM
Quote
Summarily, the line of the pendula must be 25 meters in length to get the minimum effect, and so by necessity, Leon Focault's original experiments between latitudes were conducted outside hung from a tree exposed to the elements.

As you can clearly see, of the 3 experiments, none were conducted from a tree, none were exposed to the elements and 2 of the 3 experiments had lines shorter that what is declared as the necessary length.

Tom and John, I believe that the parts in bold are the relevant errors that the OP is pointing out.

The experiment in the OP's link isn't testing variation by latitude. That's why his link and his argument is invalid. It does not address the subject matter - variations by latitude.

His complaint about line length is also invalid. The pendulums in exhibits have shorter line lengths because they tend to be powered pendulums, and thus are not comparable to Focault's original experiments. Short line pendulums are unstable and inaccurate, which is why the original variations by latitude experiments were done with lines of 25 meters or more.

In the OP's link the one in Paris had a line length of 67 meters.

Does this mean that you are not refuting the OP's assertion that the pendulums were not outside, hung from a tree and exposed to the elements contrary to what Rowotham had claimed?
Title: Re: You need to correct the wiki
Post by: Tom Bishop on March 01, 2011, 02:38:18 PM
Does this mean that you are not refuting the OP's assertion that the pendulums were not outside, hung from a tree and exposed to the elements contrary to what Rowotham had claimed?

The OP did not assert that Foucault's original experiments to study variations by latitude weren't hung outside.