Earth Slowing Down: What Would People Feel?

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In summary, the conversation discusses the potential consequences of the Earth slowing down to a halt in the span of five years. The participants address questions about the impact on human perception and the required acceleration for such a change. They also mention the difference in linear velocity at the equator and poles and the potential effects on weather patterns. It is suggested that the rotational energy would go into moving whatever unseen body is slowing the Earth, and the hypothetical scenario is compared to a five-year long aircraft trip.
  • #1
guysensei1
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I was watching a documentary that examines what happens if the Earth slowed to a halt in the span of 5 years.

One point they didn't cover was that since the Earth is slowing down at a greatly accelerated pace, what would the people feel? How much apparent force would they feel acting on them?
 
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  • #2
Why won't you try and calculate the linear velocity due to Earth's rotation of a person standing on the equator(it's the highest there). It's as easy as dividing the equatorial circumference by the length of day in seconds.
With that in hand, calculate the acceleration required to slow down to 0 m/s over five years( ##ΔV=aΔt## ). Compare the acceleration to e.g. the gravitational acceleration.

Tell us what you think about the result.
 
  • #3
The Earth rotates at one circumference per day, which is roughly 500m/s at the surface. If it takes 5 years to slow down to zero, then it must decelerate at 100m/s/year, which is about 0.000003m/s^2, or roughly 0.0000003g. That's not very much, and I suggest, given all the climatic change and geophysical/tidal effects i suspect might happen, would probably not be noticeable. Great episode though...
 
  • #4
a_potato said:
The Earth rotates at one circumference per day, which is roughly 500m/s at the surface. If it takes 5 years to slow down to zero, then it must decelerate at 100m/s/year, which is about 0.000003m/s^2, or roughly 0.0000003g. That's not very much, and I suggest, given all the climatic change and geophysical/tidal effects i suspect might happen, would probably not be noticeable. Great episode though...
It's not 500m/s at the poles.If you stood at one of the poles a short distance away,you would rotate around it at approx 1 metre a day.
So if you walked from the equator to the pole it would give you a pretty good idea of what you would feel if the Earth slowed down to allmost a halt.
 
  • #5
Buckleymanor said:
It's not 500m/s at the poles.If you stood at one of the poles a short distance away,you would rotate around it at approx 1 metre a day.
So if you walked from the equator to the pole it would give you a pretty good idea of what you would feel if the Earth slowed down to allmost a halt.

Thats true. 500m/s is at the equator, which is the fastest linear velocity at the surface of the earth, and would therefore exhibit greatest linear deceleration should the Earth's rotation change. At the poles, you wouldn't notice any change, apart from the massive climatic apocalypse happening around you. I do wonder where all those exajoules of rotational energy end up though - presumably into moving whatever unseen body is slowing the earth...
 
  • #6
Just imagine yourself on a recent aircraft trip. Instead of taking a few minutes to land or take off, imagine it takes five years.
 
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  • #7
One has to wonder, where is all that angular momentum going? (It's conserved.)
Ignoring the impossibility of it, it would have a huge effect on weather. Hurricanes spin CCW in the northern hemisphere and CW in the southern hemisphere because of the coriolis force. Without rotation, there's no coriolis force, so hurricanes would be greatly transformed.
 

1. What causes Earth to slow down?

Earth's rotation is primarily caused by the gravitational pull of the moon and the sun. However, other factors such as the Earth's shape, the ocean tides, and geological events can also affect its rotation speed.

2. How much is Earth slowing down?

According to NASA, Earth's rotation is slowing down at a rate of approximately 1.8 milliseconds per century. This may seem like a small change, but it can have significant impacts on our daily lives.

3. What would happen if Earth stopped rotating?

If Earth stopped rotating, the day and night cycle as we know it would cease to exist. The side of the Earth facing the sun would experience constant daylight, while the other side would be in constant darkness. This would also have major effects on the Earth's climate and weather patterns.

4. Would people feel the effects of Earth slowing down?

Yes, people would feel the effects of Earth slowing down. The most noticeable change would be a lengthening of the day by a few milliseconds every year. This could also lead to changes in our perception of time and the need for adjustments in our clocks and calendars.

5. Can we do anything to prevent or reverse Earth's slowing rotation?

Currently, there is no way to prevent or reverse Earth's slowing rotation. However, some scientists believe that the shifting of mass due to melting polar ice caps and earthquakes could have a small impact on the Earth's rotation speed. But these changes are not significant enough to reverse the overall slowing down of the Earth's rotation.

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