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alchemist
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what keeps the Earth spinning? or more exactly, what drives the planets in our solar system to spin and rotate around the sun? what will happen if Earth stop spinning?
Originally posted by alchemist
what keeps the Earth spinning?
or more exactly, what drives the planets in our solar system to spin and rotate around the sun?
what will happen if Earth stop spinning?
The Earth's rotation is caused by its initial angular momentum from when it was formed, as well as the gravitational pull of the Moon and the Sun.
The Earth rotates at a speed of approximately 1,037 miles per hour at the equator. However, this speed decreases as you move closer to the poles.
If the Earth's rotation were to suddenly stop, everything on the planet would be launched eastward at high speeds due to inertia. This would cause catastrophic damage and likely result in the end of life on Earth.
The Earth's rotation is constantly being slowed down by tidal forces caused by the Moon and the Sun. However, these forces are very small and would take a very long time to significantly affect the Earth's rotation.
It is highly unlikely that the Earth's rotation will ever stop completely. The Earth's rotation is very stable and any external forces would have to be extremely powerful to significantly alter it.