What makes the world spin around its own axis?

Answer 1

Stars and planets form as a result of the gravitational collapse of accreting material. Any net translational motion of that initial material is accelerated as its radius of rotation decreases. This is due to the same conservation of angular momentum principle that makes skaters and divers spin more rapidly when they bring their arms closer to their bodies. In its extreme, this effect can make collapsed neutron starts spin many times each second, creating the regular beat of pulsars as observed from Earth.

Once an initial spin was established for the Earth, the same conservation principle says that its angular momentum will continue unless it can be transferred to another object. With no significant frictional forces to allow that to happen, the Earth can continue to spin indefinitely without any further prodding. (More on that later.)

It is incorrect to say that the Moon does not spin. It rotates on its axis in synch with its revolution around the Earth, keeping the same face always pointed toward us. If it did not rotate at all, we would see all of its surface over the course of one month's orbit. This condition was created by tidal forces between the Earth and Moon, gradually slowing its initial rotation until the current more stable situation evolved. This same 'tidal lock' condition has been observed for satellite closely orbiting other planets. Because of its elliptical orbit, a slight 'wobble' allows us to actually see slightly more than half of the Moon's surface over the course of a month.

Tidal forces, by the way, continue to affect the Earth/Moon system. They exert enough frictional force on the Earth so that some of its angular momentum IS being transferred slowly to the Moon. The net effect of that is to gradually slow down Earth's rotation and lengthen the day. Where is that energy and momentum going? The moon is gradually receding from the Earth. Both of these effects are small. The Moon is receding at a rate of less than 2 inches per year and the day is getting longer by one second every 67,000 years or so.

Answer 2

In the beginning there was a revolving disk of gas and matter, which would in time become our solar system. At the center of this disc collected a large mass, which eventually became our sun. There were also other smaller conglomerations of matter in the disc, these would become the planets. Because all these conglomerations originally started from the spinning disc, all would keep their angular momentum, thus everything in the solar system rotates around an axis. In time the central mass became so heavy and hot that it started a thermonuclear reaction, giving birth to the sun. When this happened, the solar winds which began to blow off the sun expelled all the excess gas from the disc, as well as the Jupiter-like atmospheres from the inner planets (everything from Mercury to Mars); because all the planets from Jupiter on out were too far from the sun to have their atmospheres blown away, they continued, and still are, the gas giants. Venus, Earth, and to some extent, Mars also have a magnetic field which protects them from the solar wind, allowing them to keep an atmosphere dispite the solar wind. But to get back to the point of the question, the Earth spins on its axis because it still retains some angular momentum from when the solar system was still forming.

Answer 3

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What makes the world spin around its own axis?

Answer 4

the world spins around on its its on axis because that is the only possible way that the world could even function. The intelligent design of this universe is set up for the preservation of life. It is all contained under a set of laws one on top of the other that then have effect on other. yup so what makes the world spin on its own axis is God. that Who it is God.

Answer 5

Inertia is the reason that the earth keeps spinning. However, there is relatively minute forces of friction in the form of tidal affects that is slowing down the rotation. The moon is already tidally locked with the earth, and over the eons, earth will have days that are closer to months.

There is scientific evidence for this as some studies of ancient flora have indicated years with over 400 days. One book that I read indicates that if the moon never existed, earth would have roughly an eight-hour rotation period.

Cool, eh?

Answer 6

The earth spins around its axis due to gravity exerted by the sun. It also wobbles due the the gravitational pull of the moon. Gravity makes the world go around not fat bottomed girls!

Answer 7

A very good question, which has been puzzling me as well.
Most of the people who replied so far are not answering the question: why the earth is spinning, but rather why it does not stop spinning. Not the same thing at all and is very annoying.

Answer 8

Moon Mechanics: What Really Makes Our World Go 'Round

Answer 9

~Since they lost in 1945, nothing spins around the Axis.

Answer 10

The material that created earth was spinning and it has continued to spin every since. Only slowing down very slowly.