IS the rotation of the moon about the earth similar to a binary star system?

Question

if i am not mistaken...a binary star system is where to two stars revolve around each other about a central point...shouldnt it be the same case with the earth and the moon? y not? if its the same...the period of rotation should change right? according to the conservation of angular momentum...

Answer 1

No, because the Earth isn't rotating around it's moon.


The two bodies need to rotate around each other, not only one around the other.

Answer 2

This is not the same because the Earth is so much bigger than the moon, that the moon does not affect the Earth's orbit around the sun (it does a little bit, but nothing noticeable by any means). In binary systems, the stars are usually around the same size, and are usually unaffected by any other nearby large objects. So even if the moon were the size of the Earth, the nearby Sun might not allow this "binary" system to happen.

Answer 3

While I appreciate your attempt to "survey" common opinion, I'd suggest that much more rigorous studies have been done across many countries. It is unlikely that the sample set that you will get on R&S will be anywhere conclusive or indicative. (Sorry, if you spend enough time on R&S, you find out that there are times when specific opinions are more prevalent than others). The other problem with your question is that science is not determined by debate. For example, take a look at Kent Hovind or "dr dino". He is a extraordinary "debater", but candidly, he is completely ignorant of the facts or how we know what the facts are and relies on emotion, appeals to ignorance and logical fallacies to sell his lies. The question should not be "do you accept evolution or the big bang" (because it is irrelevant if you accept them or not) but how and what do we know what we know about evolution and the big bang. Look at your statement, " Haven't done much research on it yet, but so far it's looking good", while it shows that you are open and learning, it also shows an extreme amount of arrogance in that you think that in your really limited amount of knowledge that you can come close to determining the validity of evidence that you are not aware of. You simply do not yet have a concept of what you do not know. More to directly answer your "poll", evolution is an observed fact. Our understanding of exactly how it happens and all of the mechanisms involved has and will change over time, but this does not change the fact that evolution happens and is the reason for the diversity of life on this planet. The evidence clearly shows that the universe is expanding from a central point, or rather everything is expanding away from everything else and that that expansion is accelerating. Unless something unexpected occurs, in a billion years it will no longer be possible to observe any other galaxies, Without going into details that are better explained in a number of books and peer-reviewed papers, the evidence supports a inflation followed by a "rapid" expansion of the space that we call a universe.

Answer 4

Actually, yes, other than the fact that the stars are stars and the moon and earth are not, if you mean, do the laws of physics hold for stars the same as the earth and moon, sure. In the case of stars, you have two objects that are much more massive than the earth and the moon, but they go around each other just as th earth and moon do. However if two objects are much more similar in mass you will find that the center of revolution is somewhere between the two objects, whereas in the case of the earth and moon, the center of revolution is very near the center of the earth.

Answer 5

you are certainly right, but not quiet. wel the fixed point of revolving two stars might be change by the time, there is 55% of possiblity for that. and if you realise that you could measure how many days will it take , the earth and the moon revolve each other the first place to cover up the last place, as it will be a bit complicated. and angular momentum is the dimension which could possibly tells us that the quantum of moon rotation will distract the quatum of earth revovling the sun. i guess my answer might help u though

Answer 6

No, because the Earth and the Moon are not binary stars.
Also, the Moon is rotating away from the Earth at a rate of 2cm a year. Binary stars rotate toward each other.

Answer 7

As far as gravitational attraction is considered the same law applies to binary star as well as moon and earth.

But as far as our solar system is considered, sun is only star and others are planets. The mass of the sun is 1047 times greater than the biggest planet Jupitor.
Moon is a satellite of earth.

Whereas binary stars are two stars and their center of masses are in between these two stars. These two stars may or may not have planets of their own.

For any two masses, the square of the periodic times are proportional to the cubes of their mean distances

Answer 8

As far as the two bodies rotating about a common 'barycenter' , yes, they are similar...

...BUT that's where the similarity ends....because General Relativity predicts that if the mass of the stars are great and the distance between them decreases, there in a non-Newtonian force that begins to act that causes the orbits of the bianry stars to become non-Keplerian.

Answer 9

Hi. Yes, they are identical as are all two body orbits. The Earth and Moon rotate around a center point. In our case that point is inside the Earth just as the Sun and Jupiter have a point inside the Sun.

Answer 10

No

In a binary system orbits are much more erratic due to the pull of both stars