Gravity and the Spinning Earth
Most recent answer: 10/22/2007
Q:
If the earth is rotating counter clockwise, and we are on the crust or outside of the earth, why doesnt everything on the crust of the earth fly of into space?
- Kena (age 12)
Raleigh, N.C.
- Kena (age 12)
Raleigh, N.C.
A:
Actually, whether you say the earth rotates clockwise or
counterclockwise depends on whether you view it from the North or South
directions.
Anyway, stuff (like us) on the earth doesnt fly off because the force of gravity holds us down. If the Earth were spinning much faster, gravity wouldnt be strong enough and we would fly off.
The earth does bulge a bit at the equator for exactly this reason, and the effective gravitational field strength is a bit less at the equator (youd weigh a tiny bit less at the equator than you do in North Carolina for two reasons -- one is that youre speed of going around in circles is faster, and the other is that you are farther away from the center of the earth).
Mike W. and Tom
Anyway, stuff (like us) on the earth doesnt fly off because the force of gravity holds us down. If the Earth were spinning much faster, gravity wouldnt be strong enough and we would fly off.
The earth does bulge a bit at the equator for exactly this reason, and the effective gravitational field strength is a bit less at the equator (youd weigh a tiny bit less at the equator than you do in North Carolina for two reasons -- one is that youre speed of going around in circles is faster, and the other is that you are farther away from the center of the earth).
Mike W. and Tom
(published on 10/22/2007)