From: utzoo!decvax!watmath!pcmcgeer Newsgroups: net.misc Title: Re: Zero G scale Article-I.D.: watmath.2495 Posted: Sun May 30 17:21:19 1982 Received: Mon May 31 00:37:09 1982 References: uwvax.402 Maybe this answer was the one you were thinking of: (i) Drop the idiot barometer from the top of the building, and time its fall. Then, from s = 4.9t**2, calculate the height of the building (in meters). (ii) Weigh the barometer at the foot and the roof of the building. Then from the (minuscule) difference, deduce the difference r1**2 - r2**2, where r1 is the distance from the centre of the earth to the roof of the building, and r2 the distance from the earth to the floor of the building. This will give you a pretty good indication.(Actually, this is a not bad way to find the value of G). An objection can be made to either of these, or Doug's at U. Wisc., or Mr Solomon's, on the basis that they all require another piece of equipment. Ok, here is one that answers those objections. Measure the wind velocity (which can be determined with a barometer and skill). Launch the barometer. The wind gives it an intitial velocity, which in turn makes the fall a parabola. Measuring its landfall from the side of the building gives you the height. Rick McGeer at UW watmath!pcmcgeer