Besides a change in time, would much else change if the earth rotated in the opposite direction?

Question

You all have given me so much to think about that I'd never even considered! I had meant if the world were always spinning in the opposite direction, what would be different from how we know it, today. (That's a lefty for ya...typing things backwards) Very interesting answers, though!

Answer 1

If the Earth were to revolve in the opposite way around the Sun, time and gravity would not be affected, as time is measured by the presence of change, and gravity is caused by the mass of the Earth, which would not change. Day and night would not change because that is caused by the Earth's rotation on its axis, but the seasons would. For example, if it was the beginning of spring, you would go back into winter again, then fall.

Answer 2

If the Earth stopped suddenly, and rotated in the opposite direction, we would all die. That's a pretty big change. Think of it: the oceans would slosh over the continents, the tectonic plates would shift everywhere causing earthquakes, volanic eruptions, tsunami's. Imagine you are holding a cup of hot coffee in a moving car. It suddenly stops and goes in reverse. Where would the coffee go? You guessed it. (And by the way, ouch).

Answer 3

If you're referring to the scene in "Superman" (1978), time would not run in reverse. That's just Hollywood. If the earth stopped on a dime and reversed direction, we would all die- simple as that. If the earth slowed to a crawl, and then reversed direction gradually, it would still be catastrophic, because all the things that depend on the constant rotation of the earth (tides, plates, weather patterns) would be thrown completely out of whack, with disastrous results.

Answer 4

It all depends if the earth stopped suddenly and started rotating the other way, if it did then the earth would undergo great earthquakes and volcanic eruptions , but if it was always that way then the magnetic poll might be different , water would go twril the other way and peoples house would be built the other way round.

Answer 5

The sun would rise in the west and set in the east
The prevailing winds would blow the other way,from east to west.
All the weather patterns would change in unpredictable ways.
The ocean currents would change, maybe making most of Europe as cold as Alaska, and maybe warming up the South Pole.

Answer 6

The flow of menstral cycles, tides, gravity, weather systems, food production, and toilets would all change. plus a whole bunch of other stuff

Answer 7

Changing directions involves decreasing acceleration --- this deacceleration will destroy everything even if it takes place in a split second.

Answer 8

the sun would set inthe east.