Why can't we feel and see the earth's rotation ?

Answer 1

A number of answers miss the point of your question, or are a little incorrect.
The earth is not rotating "slowly". A point on the equator is moving around the centre over 1600 km/hr. But we don't feel speed, we feel change in speed.
It is true that we can see the sun moving across the sky, but for thousands of years people felt that it WAS the sun moving, not the earth rotating.
So let's consider your question carefully. It turns out that we CAN feel and see the earth's rotation if we look and measure carefully. Here are there ways:
1. We can dangle a pendulum over the north pole. As the earth rotates from west to east, it looks to us as if the pendulum's plane of swing roates from east to west. I know that's kind of like watching the sun go around, too. But the pendulum is right here, in our hands, and we can't see any reason the pendulum would be doing that. But if the Earth rotates, well, that explains it.
2. The rotation of the Earth makes things near the equator seem to weigh a little less than they should, even accounting for the fact that the ground at the equator is a little farther from the centre of the earth than the pole.
AND, that gives us another bit of visual evidence:
3. It's the earth's rotation that makes the equatorial bulge in the first place. To see the effect yourself on a much larger scale, look at a photo of the planet Jupiter. It's WAY larger across its equator than from pole to pole because of its faster rotation.

Answer 2

The Earth is moving at a constant velocity whilst we are on it so we don't feel the effects of it moving. It never speeds up or slows down and if the speed doesn't change we won't notice it moving in the first place as we're also travelling at the same velocity that the Earth is moving at. It's similar to being on an aeroplane and not feeling the effects of that when it is flying at a constant velocity.

To the previous answers: The Earth rotates at speeds over 1000mph in some places, how is that not fast?

Answer 3

We can't feel the earth's rotation since there is a magnet produced by the earth called gravity. We can't see the rotation since we are standing still as a result of gravity. Unless you go out of earth, you cannot see the movement. But, through everyday life's evidences of the movement of the sun, we knew that the Earth rotate. If the earth stand still, you may either not experiencing day or night

Answer 4

We can't feel it because the earth is so much bigger than we are. Our frame of reference rotates WITH the earth. But we CAN see the earth's rotation every day. It's the reason the sun rises and sets, and why the stars spin around the North Pole on time exposed film.

And to all those who say the earth is SLOW, how is 1000 mph at the equator slow???

Answer 5

Earth is revolving on its own Axis in anti clock wise direction once in 24 hours and around the sun in clock wise direction it takes almost 365 days. Some has already said that we are on it and the velocity cannot be noticed as there is nothing to compare. The movement can be observed when you see the sky, during the day sun changes direction and during night moon does. More over it is so big and you are a small part. You have to go quite a distance into the space to see that the earth is round. Just think, if you drop a pin there is very little sound but there is sound. When the Big earth is moving where is the sound, and why are we not hearing this sound.We are all too small and the earth is too big to see the movement or to hear the sound.

Answer 6

Einstein's relative mechanics only now helps you rather than the classically Newtonian!

Go and stand beside a building and face towards East. Now see the sky. You can feel that the building tends to fall away from you. Do the same on the other side of the building, facing West. You can feel that the same building tends to fall upon you. Note : Try it on a cloudy day. Then you will accept that you feel and see Earth's rotation!

Answer 7

The Earth is turning, but it takes nearly 24 hours to complete one turn on its axis: the rotation rate is 0.004 degrees per second. Now unless you are in Antarctica, you are probably thousands of kilometers from the earth's axis, so this converts into a considerable speed - over 300 m/s at the latitude of Sydney: faster than an airliner. However, the acceleration is small: again, it depends on latitude, but it is typically 2 or 3 centimetres per second per second. The force required to make you turn with the earth is less than 0.3% of your weight. Because this extra force is nearly always there (it is a component of the gravitational force on us), we don't notice it.

Answer 8

We see it through the movement of the Sun, but it is far too slow to be noticable by watching it constantly. Maybe we can't feel it because we're used to it.

Answer 9

The earth is so larger we are not aware of the rotation. If the earth were say ten times smaller you would most likely be aware. Plus gravity keeps us grounded.

Answer 10

Ok, I'm going all the way back to my elementary school lessons and believe me....that is a very long time ago. If I remember correctly and as completely as confused as it made me at that time....the Earth is just spinning so incredibly fast that it holds us in place. But, if it did stop spinning, or spin even a little slower, everyone would fall off. Not exactly sure where we would fall to but I'll leave that for another time. Thanks.