why can't we feel that the earth is moving?

Answer 1

because of earth's gravitional force

Answer 2

We don't feel the earth's motion because we are in the same inertial reference frame. The earth is very massive and we are not. Some moreso than others, of course, but all tiny by comparison.

Get a telescope with a clock drive. Point it at a celestial object such as the star Sirius, which is easily fixed even with very small telescopes. Now sit back and watch the telescope. You can't quite see it move, because it's at the same speed as the hour hand on a 24 hour military clock. But in 20-30 minutes you will notice it has moved.

That's as close as you are going to come to being able to "see" or feel the earth's rotation.

Thinking about it is making me sleepy.

Answer 3

when you travel in an aeroplane you do not feel moving because ;

1) aeroplane moves either at a constant speed or accelerates/ decelerates gradually and smoothly

2) you have nothing on the side to compare or relate. on the road as you travel trees and other structures move backwards.

3) on the road you have additional friction of the vehicle on the road which constantly reminds you that you are moving even if you close your eyes.

if you apply same ideas to your ride on earth;

1) earth moves almost at the same speed always. more precise than an aeroplane. it has so far never accelerated or decelerated since it has at some point settled for a particular speed several million years ago. may be in the beginning when earth just born may be it had some erratic speed but once sun and earth settled for balance earth never changed it's speed.

2) you have nothing to compare on the side. it is impossible to have something near earth and as you move forward the other object will move backwards. any object near earth will always move with earth secondary to it's gravity. the distant objects like other planets, stars our own moon are far away for any meaningful comparision.

if you could build very tall buildings, trees, polls etc miles above the ground then travel in an aeroplane by the side of those tall structures you will feel like moving because you have then something on the side to relate or compare your own motion.

3) Earth is moving in an empty space. it is not moving on a road etc. so there is no friction etc.

Answer 4

The space that Earth moves through at a speed of 66.000 MPH, relative to the sun, is so friction free that you feel as thought you are standing still. We have no close neighbour to use as a reference for motion. You must have noticed at times when you are in and automobile with your foot on the brake peddle while you wait for a traffic light to change and suddenly you think your automobile is moving and you press harder on the brake peddle with no results, then you discover that the car next to you was the one moving. That car was a reference point for you.

Answer 5

we can feel it in a way, its gets dark and bright doesn't it? but if you want the air to blow against your hair like it does when driving a convertible car, you wont have that happening because as someone has already said, everything is moving with it, another reason is because its so big that movements cannot be felt by humans. however you can see it moving, if you get a camera and record the starry sky all night till it gets bright, you will find that the stars move across the sky. but the fact is that earth is moving not the stars.

Answer 6

Because we and all the things around us including the air are all moving with it. Were the air to be still, we would have a huge jet blast of air all the time from one direction. As it is, minor shifts in air masses present winds of ten to fourty miles per hour as normal situations.

Answer 7

because we are in the same reference-frame as earth.

Like if you're in an airplane flying thru the air, and you get up to walk to the bathroom you don't get slammed against the back wall at 372 mph.

you're in the same reference frame as the airplane

"motion is relative"
(and you're not moving relative to the airplane)


and while the earth is "moving",
you are not moving relative to the earth

Answer 8

Because of gravity. The earth is spinning, creating a pull towards the center. If we felt the earth moving, it would be because gravity has stopped, and we'd go flying off into space.

Answer 9

Because its speed is uniform we can only detect speed as an acceleration

Answer 10

because you are moving with it. If it were to slow down or speed up you would probably feel that. Its all about momentum