Science geeks: what would happen if the earth just stopped rotating.?

Question

simply just stopped.

Answer 1

Well for starters, depending on where the moon is, the moon would break off of earth's orbit and fly into the sun and then we would shorly follow, or the moon would crash into the earth and destroy it...either way nothing good

Answer 2

You mean instantaneously?

The Earth's crust would likely totally subduct into the molten mantel and you'd be left with a non-rotating ball of molten rock.

Answer 3

Everything on the surface would suddenly fly to the east at 700-1000 mph.  So basically 99.99% of all humans and other mammals would die within seconds.  Every building would collapse.  Every west coast all over the world would have tons and tons and tons of water come at it at 700 mph, and as it all settled back, the east coasts would be wiped out.

It's like being in (or on top of) a train going 700 mph that just slammed into a brick wall and stopped instantly.

Answer 4

if the earth stop rotating it would just be the same time of day the same weather and everything no night no morning just that,and im not a science geek.i just know my stuff

Answer 5

ur mum will turn g*y

Answer 6

There doesn't seem to be any real consensus, except that, if it stopped rotating suddenly, it would be disastrous, and that one side would face the sun for half the year and face away for the other half.  

My thought was that one side would be too hot for life, and the other would be too cold.  I figured life would only be possible in the zone between light and dark.  It seems to me that, with 6 months facing the sun to let the heat build up, it would be too hot for human life and the opposite with 6 months facing away from the sun.  I didn't find anyone who was specific about what the temperature extremes might be.  What I hadn't considered is the sudden stop would likely wipe out all life anyway.  See below:

"Earth is rotating at a speed of about 1100 miles per hour. If our planet suddenly stopped rotating, the atmosphere would still be in motion at that speed. The atmosphere would be moving so fast it would literally sweep the land masses clear of anything not anchored to bedrock, this would mean rocks, soil, trees, buildings, people and animals. All would be swept up into the atmosphere.

If the Earth stopped rotating completely, one half the Earth would be in daylight for half the year while the other side would be in darkness. The second half of the year it would be reversed. Temperature variations would be far more extreme then they are now. The temperature gradient would affect the wind circulation also. Air would move from the equator to the poles rather then in wind systems parallel to the equator as they are now.

There would be other effects of the Earth's rotation slowing also. The magnetic field of the Earth is generated by a dynamo effect that involves its rotation. If the Earth stopped rotating, the magnetic field would no longer be regenerated and it would decay away to some low, residual value due to the very small component which is 'fossilized' in its iron-rich rocks. There would be no more 'northern lights' and the Van Allen radiation belts would probably vanish, as would our protection from cosmic rays and other high-energy particles."

Answer 7

We wouldn't have to worry about changing all our clocks for daylight savings time!

You also wouldn't have to worry about floating off into space. The force of gravity is determined by the Mass of an object, not centripetal force. A good example of this is the Moon. On the Moon you would weigh 1/6 of your weight on Earth because the Moon is 1/6 less massive than the Earth.

Answer 8

I had thought that the earth's rotation acted like a large centrifuge if you will, the rotation itself is the source of gravity, and kind of like "the ties that bind" meaning that the earth is held together by the G-force that the rotation creates. If the the e3arth stopped spinning the plates tectonic would no longer be held together by any forces, and the would hurl in to space in all directions. Life would cease since the rotation itself is also the reason why we have an atmosphere, you know that wonderful mixture of oxygen and nitrogen that we need to live. This is just my theory though. I have no research or evidence to back it up, but from what I understand about physics I believe this is what would happen.

Answer 9

wouldn't be OK...the simplest answer would be that some people would have night all the time and others day...the rest..i don't even wanna think about

Answer 10

you question cannot be answered, bcuz this won't happen.