If all of earth's inhabitants moved to the equator, how would this affect Earth's rotational inertia? How would it affect the length of a day?
2007-12-03 15:18:28 · 4 answers · asked by Lo 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
The moment of inertia of the Earth about its rotational axis is
2 / 5 ( 6 x 10^24 kg ) ( 6.4 x 10^6 m )^2
Let's overestimate the population of the Earth as 7 x 10^8 people and overestimate their mass at 200 kg each. Their moment of inertia is
( 7 x 10^8 )( 200 kg )( 6.4 x 10^6 m)^2
The ratio is about 1.7 x 10^13. The effect on the length of the day would be on the order of a nanosecond.
2007-12-03 15:30:13 · answer #1 · answered by jgoulden 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Without going into calculations, the total weight of all the earth's inhabitants (you could even triple the weight of each) is simply too small to affect the Earth's rotational inertia.
2007-12-03 15:34:41 · answer #2 · answered by jamesyoy02 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
jgoulden....are you calling me fat?
2007-12-03 15:31:45 · answer #3 · answered by brownian_dogma 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
there will no effect....
2007-12-03 15:42:38 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋