If you were on a satellite in orbit, and the satellite were rotating to simulate gravity, what observable differences would there be as compared to actual gravity?
For example, if my calculations are correct (though I have my doubts) if you were facing in the direction of the rotation, and “dropped” an object, it would actually curve away from you instead of falling straight down. Is that right?
No, the object you’re holding is traveling with your body in the same direction as the space station is spinning. If you dropped it, it would fall straight down (“straight” from your perspective, anyway.) The horizontal inertia is retained by the object despite the fact that it’s suddenly moving down. You can think of it as another example of the bullet-dropping thought experiment.
Coriolis forces will cause it to curve away.
You can read through some of this stuff:
http://spaceresearch.nasa.gov/common/docs/highlights/Studies_of_Art._Gravity_2001.pdf
http://www.spacedaily.com/news/mars-base-01d.html
http://www.graybiel.brandeis.edu/Frames/main.htm
The bullet-dropping thought experiment takes place in a uniform gravitational field. The Earth over a distance of a mile or so is a pretty good approximation of this. A rotating space station is a much worse approximation.
Well, cover me in flour and bake me for 14 minutes. I hadn’t considered the Coriolis effect.
If you walked in the direction of rotation, you would become “heavier.” If you walked against the rotation, you would become “lighter.” In Ender’s Game, the battle rooms (or whatever they called those) would maintain zero-g by being in the center of the station.