Measuring the direction of the acceleration forces

摘要

The direction of the acceleration forces in a centrifuge is determined by both the acceleration due to gravity and the acceleration caused by the spinning of the centrifuge. A measurement method is developed to measure this direction accurately.This method is based on measuring the pressure difference over a straight tube, filled with liquid. If this difference is zero, the tube is perpendicular to the direction of gravity. Theory as well as some measurements is described. Experiments show thatin some cases an accurate measu1rement of this direction can be critical for the success of a centrifuge experiment.