Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-physics-1-paper-of-the-university-of-oxford/2014/2/a/solution

Let be the signed distance from the Earth's centre along the polar tunnel, with and . The shell theorem leaves only the enclosed mass contributing to the gravitational field. Consequently
This is simple harmonic motion with and . Crossing the centre takes a quarter-period; reaching the opposite surface takes a half-period:
The body's mass cancels. The polar diameter lies on the rotation axis, so the tunnel motion has no additional centrifugal force or Coriolis force from the Earth's rotation. A realistic radial density profile would change the harmonic equation.

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