What would happen if the earth stopped spining?

Answer 1

Where do people get the idea that the rotation of the earth causes gravity? There is gravity because every mass in the universe attracts every other mass. Spinning has nothing to do with it. The magnetic poles don't have anything to do with causing gravity either.

Doesn't anyone study science?

Answer 2

If Earth suddenly stopped spinning, then chaos would occur. Everything not tied down will fly East at about 1600km/h or 1000mph. This is because of Newton's law: The velocity will remain the same unless an external force is acted on the object. A force stopped Earth spinning. But no forced was used against anything else, so everything including the atmosphere moves East. Also, a force would have to be incredible to be able to stop Earth, the same force would probably break Earth into pieces.

But now, let's imaging if the Earth never spinned in the first place. Then one day would equal a year. And a place will see the Sun getting higher, and higher, and it will get hotter and hotter. When the Sun sets, that's when it will be the hottest, and also when storms brew. It wouldn't be perpetual day or night because the Earth is still orbiting the Sun.

Answer 3

If it stopped *abruptly* there would be unimaginable chaos! Everything on the surface of the Earth is moving very, very fast (about a thousand miles an hour) so if the surface came to a dead halt everything would fly Eastward at that rate. As well the oceans would form into a tsunami that would make the December 2004 one look like a little splash in a puddle.

But suppose it could be smoothly stopped. The Sun and stars would cease rising and setting, but the Moon would continue revolving around every 27 days or so. One side of the planet would be in perpetual freezing dark while the other side would become a baking hot desert. At the day/night transition there would be horrible winds destroying everything in their path.

Things would suck, basically. :-)

Answer 4

What Happens if Earth Stops Rotating?
What happens to all the earthlings, if Earth stops spinning? Will we be thrown off the Earth's surface, since Earth is spinning at ~1000 mph?
Of course, this can't happen, but if it did, everything not attached would go flying off to the east, parallel to the surface of the Earth. The speed would depend upon your latitude. Only the people at the poles would be safe. You wouldn't go flying off into space because the 1000 mph maximum (at the equator) isn't enough to overcome gravity, which would still be present. If you survived, the resulting six month day and six month night would probably take care of you pretty quick.

Dr. Eric Christian

Answer 5

Relative to what? In real life, Earth's rotation is slowing down. Eventually it will "stop" with one side always facing the moon just like one side of the moon always faces earth. That means a lot of things:
1. There will be no more ocean tides
2. A "day" will be almost 30 days
3. There will be no such thing as a month
4. Earth will be less windy (I think)
5. Days will be really hot and nights will be really cold
6. We could build a space elevator all the way from Earth to Luna.

Answer 6

If earth stopped spinning one half of the world will be having only day time and other half only night.
It is not known whether in such a condition life can exist at all.The sunlit part will will evaporate all water and become hot and the dark part may be iceclad.I think the planet will become dead.
There is little chance for earth spinning in the immediate .But the spinning may becoming slower,resulting in changes in climate in different parts of the world.

Answer 7

I wasn't aware that our Mother Earth actually had a spine, and I'm not familiar with the word spining? Perhaps you meant spinning, and in that case we'd freeze over like a massive ice ball within 72 hrs, or burn up like a massive fire ball within 72 hrs.

Answer 8

Right now, Earth's night and day cycle is about 12 hours because of Earth's rotation. Without that spinning, nights and days each would be about 4380 hours long because the only darkness and light changes would be due to Earth's 365 day orbit around the sun.

Answer 9

The earth's gravitational force is keeping us toward the earth's center. This is the weight we feel. Because of spinning of earth the gravity ( acceleration due to gravity) is different at different place.

If spinning is stopped the wight will increase and accn.due to gravity will be uniform. Now it is maximum at poles and minimum at equator.
The shape of earth will be come spherical. Now it is ellipsoid of rotation.

One day and one night together will be equal to one year.

Objects will not fly off because earth means all objects in it.

Answer 10

"If" that were to happen, I believe that the core would also have to stop spinning and within months everything would start to die off. Volcanoes would erupt, half the earth would freeze. The electromagnetic field would be done with which would cause birds and other migratory animals to struggle and they would die off. Large massive hurricanes, tornadoes and also large electrical storms and...oh just rent The Core and get it over with. LOL.