Orbits? Moon and Earth?

Question

Scientists have prooved the moon has effects our tides and tides are powerful enough to change the earth's rotation. (They even say back in the ages of dinosaurs we had a 400 day year) So doesn't the earth mess with the moons orbit too? So are the celestial bodies equalizing? If so what would be the final speed of the earth and final speed of the moon? (If someone just happens to have a supercalculator on their computer or is an astrophysist)

Answer 1

You are quite right. The days were shorter in earlier times resulting in more days per year. The tides are causing the Moon to slowly recede from Earth, and the Earth's rotation to be slowed at the same time. I read somewhere that the final diameter of the Moon's orbit will be around twice what it is now, and then it will be at very great risk to be nudged out of Earth orbit altogether, becoming a planet in its own right. However, its orbit around the sun will certainly be an Earth crossing one, resulting in the freed Moon becoming a 2,100 mile wide Earth-grazing asteroid. It would be just a matter of time before it would sooner or later collide with Earth, ending all life. What a prospect! That is one reason that I am advising all of my descendants to move to Mars just as soon as tickets become available.

Answer 2

Yes, the Earth messes with the Moon's orbit too. In fact, space probes have found that the "near" side of the Moon bulges toward Earth a little -- like a frozen tide (since it's all stone) -- and the Moon always turns the same face toward Earth because of Earth's effect on its rotation. From the very gradual speeding up of the Moon's rotation around Earth -- about 10 seconds in a century -- it also appears that Earth is drawing the Moon into a closer orbit.

Answer 3

Actually, we do know the answer to that. The earth and the moon both orbit around the centre of gravity of the system. However, since the earth is so much more massive than the moon, the centre of gravity of the system is well within the core of the earth. The moon has enough of a gravitational effect on the earth to be able to cause tides. That is why, for example when two stars orbit around each other, the centre of the orbit is the centre of mass, not the centre of the heavier object.

Answer 4

There is nothing to prove there. Tides cannot change the earth's rotation. Moreover there were no 400 days in a year. The earth's rotation is getting slower and the moon is moving away from us. Most of the planetary bodies have some effect (very minimal) on each other. Not enough to warrant anything.

Answer 5

All orbiting bodies will slow and go nearer the body being orbited, unless energy is added to increase speed of the orbiting body. Since this will not happen then all orbiting bodies will eventually slow to a point that they will join the orbited body. That is unless some other influence intervenes.

Answer 6

the final speed would of cours be zero, because the earths rotation is being slowed newtons law states that a body in motion will remain in motion unless acted upon by another force. since there is a force slowing it's rotation it will continue to slow until another force acts upon it thus eventully the day will last all year and one side of the planet will be hot and brite and the other side will be dark and cold.

Answer 7

the moon is moving away from the earth by about an inch every year.