Message 1256 from Kirk McLoren, 06 February 2004 23:04:
In response to message 1129: Re: Earth kinetic energy from Uncle Al , 12 September 2003:
> > to get the kinetic energy you will need this formula ke=1/2mv^2 then i have calculated that the total earth's kinetic energy by spinning is 4.8x10^29 joules if we can think of a way to tap the earth's kinetic energy then that would surely solve our problem of electricity shortage
Kinetic energy footpound is not an engineering footpound. Consider a 1 pound weight lifted 16 feet. It has a potential energy of 16 footpounds or you can say 16 footpounds was imparted to raise it. We now drop it and 1 second later it hits bottom with a velocity of 32 feet per second. The KE is 1/2 32 squared or 512 "foot pounds" Looks like the basis for a hell of a perpetual motion or free energy machine. LOL. 16 to 512 is a heck of a lot of free lunch. Or maybe not the same "footpound". I'll stick with the second explanation
As for extracting the energy use a reaction wheel. Draw a wheel suspended above the earth. place a dot on the wheel. Draw the wheel and earth every six hours, dot not moving. To extract energy you would rotate wheel and extract each time you reverse direction of rotation, ie rotate 180 degrees on suspension axis, not rotation axiis. 2 rotations going on here. one on axle , one on mount.
-Kirk KC7THL