Final answer:
Skyscrapers must contend with forces such as wind and earthquakes in addition to gravity. Engineers design these buildings to maintain equilibrium and withstand environmental stressors, keeping the net external force and net torque at zero.
Step-by-step explanation:
In addition to gravity, skyscrapers must contend with other important forces such as wind and earthquakes. These external forces can displace a building from its equilibrium, so engineers and architects strive to achieve extremely stable equilibrium conditions for skyscrapers. This involves designing structures that can withstand these forces by ensuring that the net external force and the net torque on the building are both zero. This balance is crucial to maintain the integrity and safety of the building under various environmental stressors.
Furthermore, the extreme height of skyscrapers means that changes in the value of g (acceleration due to gravity) with altitude could potentially affect design considerations, although these changes are often very small. Also, Earth's rotation can affect the construction of skyscrapers but is generally only a significant factor at extreme latitudes or very tall buildings.