Egyptian-Illuminati Posted November 23, 2007 #1 Share Posted November 23, 2007 I thought of something today, since we now know in science that when something spins in space, it creates its own gravitational force. Now, we also know all the worlds spinning action determines THEIR gravity. So what if the Earth stopped spinning? Would everything just float around?? Imagine rocks, trees, animals, WATER!(ah!) floating around the atmosphere! WOOOAAAHHHH Just need someone to confirm this theory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SS79 Posted November 23, 2007 #2 Share Posted November 23, 2007 (edited) I thought of something today, since we now know in science that when something spins in space, it creates its own gravitational force. Now, we also know all the worlds spinning action determines THEIR gravity. So what if the Earth stopped spinning? Would everything just float around?? Imagine rocks, trees, animals, WATER!(ah!) floating around the atmosphere! WOOOAAAHHHH Just need someone to confirm this theory. I guess we would all be swept up in to the atmosphere along with everything else , if it was a sudden stop the atmosphere would still be in motion and going so fast we would literally be blown away LOL thats depressing really i think we would still have gravity though but i'm no expert LOL . Edited November 23, 2007 by spiritual_soul79 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ins0mniac Posted November 23, 2007 #3 Share Posted November 23, 2007 (edited) The Earth's gravity has nothing to do with spinning. Any object exerts a gravitational pull which attracts other objects. However for it to be noticeable, the object must be really big, like a planet for example. If the Earth stopped spinning their would still be gravity. Edited November 23, 2007 by Ins0mniac Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glorybebe Posted November 23, 2007 #4 Share Posted November 23, 2007 The Earth's gravity has nothing to do with spinning. Any object exerts a gravitational pull which attracts other objects. However for it to be noticeable, the object must be really big, like a planet for example. If the Earth stopped spinning their would still be gravity. but not as much as there is when we are spinning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pax Unum Posted November 23, 2007 #5 Share Posted November 23, 2007 Earths gravity is caused by it's mass, not it's spin... the only thing that would happen if the Earth stopped spinning is one side would fry, and the other side would freeze... IMO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mcr13 Posted November 23, 2007 #6 Share Posted November 23, 2007 What would happen in the middle? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pax Unum Posted November 23, 2007 #7 Share Posted November 23, 2007 but not as much as there is when we are spinning. I think the gravity would be 'greater' without the spin... centrifugal force (the spin), actually tries to throw objects off the surface... IMO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glorybebe Posted November 23, 2007 #8 Share Posted November 23, 2007 Earths gravity is caused by it's mass, not it's spin... the only thing that would happen if the Earth stopped spinning is one side would fry, and the other side would freeze... IMO I'm pretty sure that the spinning has something to do with keeping us from being sucked into the sun. It's been 5 years since Astronomy class, and I can't remember! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SS79 Posted November 23, 2007 #9 Share Posted November 23, 2007 I think and correct me if i'm wrong but doesn't the earths spinning reduce the gravitational pull slightly by something like 0.3%. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avs76 Posted November 23, 2007 #10 Share Posted November 23, 2007 The Earth's gravity has nothing to do with spinning. Any object exerts a gravitational pull which attracts other objects. However for it to be noticeable, the object must be really big, like a planet for example. If the Earth stopped spinning their would still be gravity. Spot on. Gravity is just the expression of the attraction of two objects in (close) contact. Increased attraction between two objects (in this case called gravity) is directly proportional to the mass of the objects and is inversely proportional to the distance between the objects. A massive object like earth has a certain attraction, or gravity, while the moon, with less mass, has less gravity. I am pretty sure the moon doesn't spin/rotate (relative to earth) yet it still has gravity. Although we don't know for sure as we have never really landed there... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dest_titor1 Posted November 23, 2007 #11 Share Posted November 23, 2007 lol, no, the earth no matter what would still create a bend in space-time, hence gravity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fluffybunny Posted November 23, 2007 #12 Share Posted November 23, 2007 (edited) I'm pretty sure that the spinning has something to do with keeping us from being sucked into the sun. It's been 5 years since Astronomy class, and I can't remember! I think you may have been absent that day. Gravity has to do with the mass of the planet which will be here spin or not. Now imagine being on a merry-go-gound(substitute any spinning ride of choice) that is spinning fast; which way does your body want you to fall? towards the outside of the ride, because of centrifugal force from the spin. At the earths midline we are spinning at nearly 1000 miles per hour, definately no a physicist and ould need waspie to step in, but my guess would be that if the earth stopped that gravity would be in force and if anything the decrease in centrifugal force would slightly add to many peoples weight issues. Edited November 23, 2007 by Fluffybunny spelling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dest_titor1 Posted November 23, 2007 #13 Share Posted November 23, 2007 Spot on. Gravity is just the expression of the attraction of two objects in (close) contact. Increased attraction between two objects (in this case called gravity) is directly proportional to the mass of the objects and is inversely proportional to the distance between the objects. A massive object like earth has a certain attraction, or gravity, while the moon, with less mass, has less gravity. I am pretty sure the moon doesn't spin/rotate (relative to earth) yet it still has gravity. Although we don't know for sure as we have never really landed there... we landed on the moon, and if the earth stopped rotating the moon wood still spin around the earth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ins0mniac Posted November 23, 2007 #14 Share Posted November 23, 2007 If you consider the moon. It doesn't spin at all, but still has gravity. It also has a fair bit less gravity than the Earth due to being a fair bit smaller than the Earth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glorybebe Posted November 23, 2007 #15 Share Posted November 23, 2007 I think you may have been absent that day. Gravity has to do with the mass of the planet which will be here spin or not. Now imagine being on a merry-go-gound(substitute any spinning ride of choice) that is spinning fast; which way does your body want you to fall? towards the outside of the ride, because of centrifugal force from the spin. At the earths midline we are spinning at nearly 1000 miles per hour, definately no a physicist and ould need waspie to step in, but my guess would be that if the earth stopped that gravity would be in force and if anything the decrease in centrifugal force would slightly add to many peoples weight issues. Ok, fluffy, that had nothing to do with what I wrote. Yes, the Earth has mass, and so it would still have gravity. I was talking about the spinning and how important it is not just for us to have days. Anyway, here is a site to answer the OP. site What would happen if the Earth stopped spinning? The probability for such an event is practically zero in the next few billion years. If the Earth stopped spinning suddenly, the atmosphere would still be in motion with the Earth's original 1100 mile per hour rotation speed at the equator. All of the land masses would be scoured clean of anything not attached to bedrock. This means rocks, topsoil, trees, buildings, your pet dog, and so on, would be swept away into the atmosphere. If the process happened gradually over billions of years, the situation would be very different, and it is this possibility which is the most likely as the constant torquing of the Sun and Moon upon the Earth finally reaches it's conclusion. If the rotation period slowed to 1 rotation every 365 days a condition called 'sun synchronous', every spot in the Earth would have permanent daytime or nighttime all year long. This is similar to the situation on the Moon where for 2 weeks the front-side is illuminated by the Sun, and for 2 weeks the back side is illuminated. This situation for the Earth is not the condition of 'stopped' rotation, but it is as close as the laws of physics will let the Earth get. If it stopped spinning completely...not even once every 365 days, you would get 1/2 year daylight and 1/2 year nightime. During daytime for 6 months, the surface temperature would depend on your latitude, being far hotter that it is now at the equator than at the poles where the light rays are more slanted and heating efficiency is lower. This long-term temperature gradient would alter the atmospheric wind circulation pattern so that the air would move from the equator to the poles rather than in wind systems parallel to the equator like they are now. The yearly change in the Sun's position in the sky would now be just its seasonal motion up and down the sky towards the south due to the orbit of the Earth and its axial tilt. As you moved along constant lines of Earth latitude, you would see the elevation of the Sun increase or decrease in the sky just as we now see the elevation of the Sun change from a single point on the Earth due to the Earth's daily rotation. For example, if you were at a latitude of +24 degrees North in the Summer and at a longitude where the Sun was exactly overhead, it would slide gradually to the horizon as Fall approached, but since the Sun has moved 90 degrees in its orbit, it would now be due west. Then as we approach Winter, you would now be located on the dark side of the Earth, and would have to travel in longitude to a location 180 degrees around the Earth to see the Sun 1/2 way up the sky because in the Winter, the Sun is 48 degrees south of its summer location in the sky. It's a little confusing, but if you use a globe of the Earth and orient it the right way, you can see how all this works out. As for other effects, presumably the magnetic field of the Earth is generated by a dynamo effect that involves its rotation. If the Earth stopped rotating, it's magnetic field would no longer be regenerated and it would decay away to some low, residual value due to the very small component which is 'fossilized' in its iron-rich rocks. There would be no more 'northern lights' and the Van Allen radiation belts would probably vanish, as would our protection from cosmic rays and other high-energy particles. This is a significant biohazard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pax Unum Posted November 23, 2007 #16 Share Posted November 23, 2007 I am pretty sure the moon doesn't spin/rotate (relative to earth) yet it still has gravity. The Moon rotates at the same speed as it orbits the Earth, 27.32 days... the Moon spins about its axis one full revolution so we always see the same face of the Moon... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ins0mniac Posted November 23, 2007 #17 Share Posted November 23, 2007 The Moon rotates at the same speed as it orbits the Earth, 27.32 days... the Moon spins about its axis one full revolution so we always see the same face of the Moon... Ah. But he said relative to the Earth. From the Earth's point of view, it doesn't seem to rotate at all. But I'm just being pedantic now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sumthingnice60 Posted November 23, 2007 #18 Share Posted November 23, 2007 Wow, we talked about this in my geophysics class. *pulls out notebook* 1) One side would be in complete darkness for 6 months and the other in complete light. 6 months later, the reverse happens. And the temperatures would be way more extreme than they are now. 2) The atmosphere would still be moving at 1700 km/h which would suck things that are not weighed down from earth. 3) You would weigh a bit more (a pound more) 4) No magnetic shield to fend off harmful radiation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avs76 Posted November 23, 2007 #19 Share Posted November 23, 2007 Ok, fluffy, that had nothing to do with what I wrote. Yes, the Earth has mass, and so it would still have gravity. I was talking about the spinning and how important it is not just for us to have days. Anyway, here is a site to answer the OP. site I think FluffyBunny's post was quite relevant to what you wrote because he discussed centrifugal force, which is what keeps the earth from being "sucked into the sun". I'm pretty certain the path the earth takes around the sun does not have anything to do with how fast the planet spins. And I think that your link did not answer the OP as it did not discuss gravity. Just felt I needed to point those things out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
avs76 Posted November 23, 2007 #20 Share Posted November 23, 2007 Wow, we talked about this in my geophysics class. *pulls out notebook* 1) One side would be in complete darkness for 6 months and the other in complete light. 6 months later, the reverse happens. And the temperatures would be way more extreme than they are now. 2) The atmosphere would still be moving at 1700 km/h which would suck things that are not weighed down from earth. 3) You would weigh a bit more (a pound more) 4) No magnetic shield to fend off harmful radiation I think FluffyBunny touched on this too. Does this mean that a person would weigh more at either of the poles than at the equator? I remember reading that the earth is not a perfect sphere, it is slightly "squashed" at the poles. Does this mean that at the poles a person would be closer to the core of the earth, therefore subjected to a stronger gravitational pull? I think it would. Sorry if this seems like nitpicking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lars Johansson Posted November 23, 2007 #21 Share Posted November 23, 2007 The spinning is two ways, around itself, (why we have the equator) and then also around the sun. It as nothing to do with gravity, I agree wthat it will be slightly less gravity if anything, cenrtifugal if it "stopped". However, the earth is really not spinning at alll really, it's "flying" in a straight line as the universe is expanding. If it stopped spinning something has happened or the universe stopped. You can't say that you wll fall into the sun and stuff, it will be "worse" or weirder than that, since it would have to do with 4D space, a black hole perhaps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legatus Legionis Posted November 23, 2007 #22 Share Posted November 23, 2007 (edited) I think and correct me if i'm wrong but doesn't the earths spinning reduce the gravitational pull slightly by something like 0.3%. Yes because of centrifugal force. Earths gravity is caused by it's mass, not it's spin... the only thing that would happen if the Earth stopped spinning is one side would fry, and the other side would freeze... IMO Yes the other side which is permanently dark would freeze but the other side that is exposed to sun every time of the year it would not fry but would be in a continuous storm surge, like a permanent typhoon or hurricane. Edited November 23, 2007 by LiGhTyAgAmi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sumthingnice60 Posted November 23, 2007 #23 Share Posted November 23, 2007 However, the earth is really not spinning at alll really, it's "flying" in a straight line as the universe is expanding. If it stopped spinning something has happened or the universe stopped. You are only half right. The earth is spinning. When the earth formed, the gases cooled down and the earth began to spin faster. Conservation of angular momentum means that the earth needs to stay spinning at a constant rate unless the moment of inertia changes (it doesn't, or rather the change is so small that it can be neglected). Also, Newton's law states that an object in motion will continue to stay in motion unless acted upon by another force. Since there is no other force acting to earth, it continues to rotate (again, the force by the moon is so small it can be neglected). So you are right in assuming that something has happened but that does not necessarily mean that the universe has stopped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atheist God Posted November 23, 2007 #24 Share Posted November 23, 2007 I thought of something today, since we now know in science that when something spins in space, it creates its own gravitational force. Now, we also know all the worlds spinning action determines THEIR gravity. So what if the Earth stopped spinning? Would everything just float around?? Imagine rocks, trees, animals, WATER!(ah!) floating around the atmosphere! WOOOAAAHHHH Just need someone to confirm this theory. No but what would happen is the dark side of the world would likely get cold leaving it a baron waste land. the other side would mostly be habitable and the main ocean body a super massive hurricane would spin endlessly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egyptian-Illuminati Posted November 23, 2007 Author #25 Share Posted November 23, 2007 No but what would happen is the dark side of the world would likely get cold leaving it a baron waste land. the other side would mostly be habitable and the main ocean body a super massive hurricane would spin endlessly. Ok, but the hurricane would eventually reac the other side, cooling it down, so it would balance out and there would be just the normal weather.... right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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