TorontoBuilder
Ultra Member
the ball would become stuck in an oscillation, because gravity would pull it towards the center accelerating all the time. But once past the core gravity would pull on the ball to slow it. It would continue to near the surface on the other side before then falling back...Welcome to the Forum from up-under (Burlington Ontario).
OK @Susquatch - Here is my question- if you drilled that hole, then installer a casing and dropped in a steel ball. Would it come out in Australia or stop at a the center of the earth?
(assuming that: the casing didn’t melt; the hole was straight; and you know how to drop a ball into a casing)
I suppose friction would slow it and the oscillations until the ball got stuck at the core eventually