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Masua
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If it is true, could anybody tell me how it is happening?
But using the same argument, isn't the Earth also slowing down the Moon's spin and thus pulling it into a closer orbit?Ryan_m_b said:IIRC it's down to the Moon. The Moon slows down the Earth's spin and at the same time this boosts the Moon into a higher orbit.
iKnighty said:But using the same argument, isn't the Earth also slowing down the Moon's spin and thus pulling it into a closer orbit?
iKnighty said:But using the same argument, isn't the Earth also slowing down the Moon's spin and thus pulling it into a closer orbit?
Masua said:maybe they are trying to reach a state of equilibrium over time.
my thoughts are that it is not going to happen forever, am I right??
If other effects were ignored, tidal acceleration would continue until the rotational period of the Earth matched the orbital period of the Moon. At that time, the Moon would always be overhead of a single fixed place on Earth. Such a situation already exists in the Pluto-Charon system. However, the slowdown of the Earth's rotation is not occurring fast enough for the rotation to lengthen to a month before other effects make this irrelevant: About 2.1 billion years from now, the continual increase of the Sun's radiation will cause the Earth's oceans to vaporize, removing the bulk of the tidal friction and acceleration. Even without this, the slowdown to a month-long day would still not have been completed by 4.5 billion years from now when the Sun will evolve into a red giant and likely destroy both the Earth and Moon.
Masua said:If it is true, could anybody tell me how it is happening?
Yes, it is true that the earth's rotation is slowing down. Scientists have been able to measure this change in the length of a day by only a few milliseconds over the course of a century.
The main cause of the earth's rotation slowing down is due to the tidal forces between the earth and the moon. These forces act as a braking mechanism, gradually slowing down the earth's rotation over time.
The slowing down of the earth's rotation has a minor impact on our daily lives. While a slightly longer day may not seem significant, it can have effects on our navigation systems, satellite communication, and even the length of sporting events.
No, it is highly unlikely that the earth will stop rotating completely. The earth's rotation is slowing down at a very gradual rate and it would take billions of years for it to completely stop. Additionally, the earth's rotation is constantly being replenished by the movement of its molten core.
Currently, there is no known way to prevent the earth's rotation from slowing down. However, some scientists have proposed using artificial satellites to act as counterbalances and help maintain the earth's rotational speed. However, this idea is still in the early stages of research and development.