Something called "conservation of angular momentum". The earth has
always been rotating, and that means it's going to keep on rotating forever.
This is one of those fundamental laws of physics (deriving from Newton's laws)
that nobody believes can ever be broken. However, the earth's rotation can chang e slightly over time due
to the tidal interactions with the moon and sun.
To stop the earth's rotation would require an enormous amount of energy, and
whatever did it would probably have the same destructive power as the biggest
asteroid that could ever possibly hit us. In other words, life would be
destroyed.
Not to mention that if the earth under our feet quit moving, we would continue
along at our current 17 miles/minute or
1000 miles/hour - can you imagine suddenly being launched out of your chair at
1000 miles/hour?
2007-12-27 16:46:54
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answer #1
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answered by Sparkle M 3
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It is gravity but not only that Newtons law of momentum. That an object set in motion stays in motion unless a force stops it. Which means something had to set the Earth into motion first.
Now, what ever that was is another question.
It also has to do with energy and magnetism given off by the sun and many other celestial bodies. Many factors are involved with the Earth's rotation.
2007-12-27 16:11:25
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answer #2
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answered by Anonymous
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Newton's first law?
What drives the earth's rotation is whatever physical force (kinetic energy) originally put it in motion.
It's still spinning from that initial kinetic force, which could have been gravity or an explosion, etc. So there is no force "pushing" it now to make it spin.
That, and my other answer is "Hot women".
2007-12-27 16:07:07
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answer #3
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answered by heartscared 3
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Kinetic energy that was imparted when the planet formed. Anchorage is not a good description for gravity and there is no such thing as perpetual motion.
2007-12-28 03:59:47
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answer #4
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answered by johnandeileen2000 7
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between the main person-friendly concepts of nature is that if something is shifting, in any way, it rather is going to proceed to realize this except acted upon by skill of a rigidity. this suggests that there is not any want for any rigidity to maintain the Earth spinning - it may actual require an horrific lot of rigidity to make it supply up. quite, nonetheless, the Earth's spin is slowing down very slowly using tidal interplay with the Moon.
2016-10-02 11:09:31
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answer #5
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answered by ? 4
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It's the momentum from when the Earth formed. Dust it's made of use to spin in a vortex basically. Because of gravity :)
2007-12-27 16:04:54
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answer #6
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answered by Anonymous
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Gravity. Pure Newtonian physics.
2007-12-27 21:45:44
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answer #7
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answered by Photinus 2
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The earth has angular momentum. The forces involved only serve to slow down the rotation, very very slowly.
2007-12-27 16:06:20
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answer #8
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answered by brando4755 4
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everyone knows the universe spins around earth.
2007-12-27 17:28:24
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answer #9
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answered by ★Greed★ 7
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