I'm thinking about ways to terraform the moon. If we could set it rotating on an axis perpendicular to the surface of the Earth (it would spin the same way the hands of a clock turn, which means it would remain tidally locked to Earth as it is now), could we possibly spin it fast enough to produce synthetic gravity in order to help it sustain both human life and a noticable atmosphere?
2007-09-08 16:00:47 · 6 answers · asked by uncleclover 5 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Firstly, the answer is no. How could rotating the moon create artificial gravity? The moon's surface gravity depends solely on its mass and radius.
You might be getting confused with the concept of using centrifugal force on space stations to create artificial gravity. In fact it doesn't create gravity, it just makes a surface outside you push you creating the illusion of gravity. Someone on the surface of the space station would not be attracted, they'd be flung out into space! It probably nauseates you in the process--I have no idea if it would be a viable option.
Anyway, the amount of kinetic energy involved in getting the moon spinning like that would be enormous. It's not a viable option.
2007-09-08 16:12:09 · answer #1 · answered by Raichu 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The moon already has its own gravity - its only one sixth the Earth but its there. The only way to increase the gravity on the moon would be to increase its mass.
Spinning a world would do nothing to increase gravity.
The spinning you're thinking of would only work if it was a hollow object and we were living on the inside. Spinning the object (it would work best if it was a long cylinder or tube) would cause centrifugal force to push things towards the outside walls, simulating gravity.
But if we could increase the mass of the moon, it would have to be at least 3-4 times its current mass to have enough gravity to hold an atmosphere and allow liquid water to remain on the surface.
There are a lot of asteroids we could divert to impact with the moon, but the risk to the Earth if we were off trajectory by even a tiny bit (not to mention the risk of debris from any impact possibly damaging Earth is so great that it probably would not be worthwhile.
Not to mention the technology we don't have yet, plus the cost to do it right.
2007-09-08 17:07:39 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Gravity is not caused by rotation. Gravity is caused by mass.
Or, if you're talking about producing a centripital force equivalent to gravity, you'd probably want to spin it normal to it's orbital plane so that gyroscopic forces wouldn't cause it to precess and wander all over the place. Of course, that would increase the total gyroscopic force of the entire Earth-Moon system by a couple of orders of magnitude and I'm not real sure what that might do to our weather patterns.
Why not just relax and enjoy a 1/6 gee environment? ☺
Doug
2007-09-08 16:07:14 · answer #3 · answered by doug_donaghue 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
I think rotating the moon would cause the gravity, especially at the motion's equator, to be less due to centrifugal force. With enough speed of rotation a person could be flung off of the moon.
2007-09-08 16:12:05 · answer #4 · answered by Twizard113 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
gravity has nothing to do with the spin of an object, the only thing that affects gravity is mass and spinning something wont add mass unless its spinning close to the speed of light. there is no such thing as fake gravity or anything like that, there is only real gravity. we wont be able to change the gravity of the moon... ever.
doug_donaghue, spinning does not cause centripetal force, it causes centrifugal force which would make things fly away from the moon. get ur facts straight.
2007-09-08 16:07:08 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
only if you hollow out the moon and live inside... then the faster you spin it the more gravity we would feel standing inside
2007-09-08 16:12:41 · answer #6 · answered by Faesson 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋