2006-06-11 00:43:54 · 21 answers · asked by Chatmasterflex 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Geography
The earth's approx circumference at equator is 24,800 miles. It takes about one day for it to spin around once. So, at the equator one would be zipping right along at approx 1,000mph. It gets slower the further north or south of the equator you go since the "circle" of latitudes gets smaller. So, do we move fast? We do, but since we are part of the gravity well created by the earth, its spin is our frame of reference and relative to us we are not accelerating out of it. Gravity and accelerated motion are covariant (thanks to Einstein) and an internal observer cannot tell one from the other. Just like going along in a car. If the car could travel extremely smoothly enough and you could not see any external input--like out the windows, unless it changed direction or speed i.e. its velocity by undergoing acceleration, you would never know you were moving. Think about it you can only really tell you're moving along by the road vibrations in the vehicle and by seeing things going by outside the windows. You only feel "moved" if it turns or speeds up/brakes.
2006-06-11 00:53:45 · answer #1 · answered by quntmphys238 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
this is quite a busy wee planet,like everything else in this expanding universe,the Earth is flying through space at an enormous speed,and at the same time it spins on its axis, and if that wasn't enough,it then spends its time orbiting the Sun.A bit more movement than U thought eh!
2006-06-11 12:44:31 · answer #2 · answered by wee man ! 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We do move, but so slowly that we don't notice. Others seem to notice it more and spin constantly. I work with a couple of people like that.
2006-06-11 00:49:45 · answer #3 · answered by PariahMaterial 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We spin very fast. IF the Earth suddenly stopped he'd all fly into space.
2006-06-11 09:55:12 · answer #4 · answered by kerfos1 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Gravity.
The earths rotation causes the gravitational pull which makes us stay still as the earth spins.
2006-06-11 00:47:39 · answer #5 · answered by snakeman11426 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We DO move around as well as spin.
2006-06-11 00:47:14 · answer #6 · answered by GRUMPY 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I've always wondered this, sometimes I try to stop and feel it move but I guess its something to do with Newton's Laws of Motion, however I am not this way minded so could even begin to explain this to you!
2006-06-11 00:52:26 · answer #7 · answered by L 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
actually darlings the world is spinning at close on a thousand. yes a thousand(1,000) miles per hour... 20 mph... are you nuts? did you ever do geography at school?
2006-06-11 00:55:39 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Gravity keeps us in place. The world turns around bringing us day and night. We stay in one place due to gravity. Wonderful thing, isn't it?
2006-06-11 00:47:46 · answer #9 · answered by Adam 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
WE DON'T SPIN WITH RESPECT TO THE EARTH BECAUSE OF GRAVITATIONAL PULL BUT RELATIVE TO CELESTIAL OBJECTS WE SPIN ALONG WITH THE EARTH.
2006-06-11 03:28:18 · answer #10 · answered by bashah1939 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋