Will earth rotate faster due to tree cutting?

Question

Suppose all trees on the earth are cut, wud earth rotate faster? (as average radius decreases and law of conservation of angular momentum is to be conserved)

Answer 1

I = mr^2/5 "moment of inertia for earth
E = 1/2Iw^2 = angular energy, w = 2pi/24 hours (angular frequency)
since E is constant, if r goes from ~6,400,000 meters to 6,399,990 (reduced by 10 meters) the angular frequency would need to increase by the same fraction

That would be 0.00016% faster.

BUT trees only cover <1% of the surface, so that should be reduced by another factor of 100 to

0.0000016% or maybe a bit less!

If we are typically moving at 1000 miles/hour (24,000miles around in 24 hours) our speed change is < one ten-thousandth of one mile per hour.

Answer 2

when all the trees are cut down the average radius of the earth will increase just by a very negligible quantity of the order of 10^-8 or 10^-9.This change will not make the earth to rotate much fast as the mass of the earth is very large.Even the change in speed is very small it cannot be measured at all.

Answer 3

If you shrunk the earth down to billiard-ball size, it would be smoother than any billiard ball ever made, even with all its mountains and valleys and oceans.

Therefore, while chopping down trees would in theory increase the earth's rotation speed, it's a pretty safe bet that the effect would be so tiny as to be undetectable. Accordingly, for all practical purposes, the answer would be "no".

Answer 4

The angular momentum of the trees are nothing compared to that of the whole earth. Yes, it would but we probably couldn't measure it. By the same argument you can say that you speed up the rotation every time you mow your lawn.

Answer 5

I, too, LOVE trees, and am extremely annoyed that there is such an excess of junk mail, but I do all I can to reduce, reuse, and recycle wood, paper, plastic, glass, and other such products commonly thrown away in our modern-day society. On the other hand, however, anthropomorphizing "Mother Earth" is akin to putting "her" on a pedestal as being equal to God, and I am definitely not comfortable with that. But I have full confidence in Jehovah God's promise, found at Revelation 11:18, which reminds us that He will take care of this problem . . . . very soon. Rev 11:18 - (NIV) - "The nations were angry, and your wrath has come. The time has come for judging the dead, and for rewarding your servants the prophets and Your people who revere your Name, both great and small— and for DESTROYING THOSE WHO DESTROY THE EARTH."

Answer 6

In principle, with all other variables held constant...but the change would be miniscule. About those other variables...

1) Every time a building is raised, the earth slows down. (compensating for the trees. :) )
2) Every time a plane takes off, the earth speeds up and as one lands, the earth slows down.

Answer 7

lol, i don't think it would, out of all the other weight the world has only trees being taken away would do nothing, its like saying if you...shaved your armpits you would be able to move your arms faster or do any thing for that matter, make sense?

Answer 8

theoretically it is possible.....but compared to the radius of the earth...the height of the trees is negligible....so i think it won't have any significant effect...

Answer 9

Yes but if that causes global problems we can all put our arms above our heads and then it will slow back down.

LOL

Answer 10

no,its not like the wind resistance slows the planet.