1. R
    Standard memberRemoved
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    20 Aug '08 01:12
    I have heard that if our Earth were to stop rotating our atmosphere would dissapate into space. My conceptualization of the scenario; Gravity is caused by mass curving space-time... The Earth rotating about it axis, exerts a centrifugal force, which acts in opposition to gravitation......Why, would stopping the rotation of the Earth, negate the affect of gravity, when logically, at least to me.....it seems quite opposite?

    Hope someone can explain this in layman terms, thanks...
    Eric πŸ˜•πŸ™‚
  2. Subscribercoquette
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    20 Aug '08 01:381 edit
    You have it about right. If the earth stopped rotating, the gases would lose some of their centrifugal force - about a 1000 miles per hour at the equator - and the gravitational attraction would increase.

    The gases wouldn't dissipate into space. That person had it backwards.
  3. R
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    20 Aug '08 01:48
    Originally posted by coquette
    You have it about right. If the earth stopped rotating, the gases would lose some of their centrifugal force - about a 1000 miles per hour at the equator - and the gravitational attraction would increase.

    The gases wouldn't dissipate into space. That person had it backwards.
    haha thanks...hope you are correct....... bacause I just gave my father an " I told you so"...πŸ˜€ And he is not taking the news all that well😏
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    20 Aug '08 04:25
    The Earth's atmosphere is actually leaking, but of other reasons. Fortunate not much.

    Facts:
    The planet with the most rapid rotation has the thickest atmosphere.
    The body with the strongest gravity is leaking the most.
  5. Subscribersonhouse
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    20 Aug '08 05:57
    Originally posted by FabianFnas
    The Earth's atmosphere is actually leaking, but of other reasons. Fortunate not much.

    Facts:
    The planet with the most rapid rotation has the thickest atmosphere.
    The body with the strongest gravity is leaking the most.
    That would be the sun then.
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    20 Aug '08 06:26
    Originally posted by sonhouse
    That would be the sun then.
    ""The body with the strongest gravity is leaking the most.""
    "That would be the sun then."
    Yes.
    What about the other? the planet?
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    20 Aug '08 06:43
    Originally posted by FabianFnas
    ""The body with the strongest gravity is leaking the most.""
    "That would be the sun then."
    Yes.
    What about the other? the planet?
    Presumably, that would be Jupiter.

    --- Penguin.
  8. Subscribersonhouse
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    20 Aug '08 10:20
    Originally posted by Penguin
    Presumably, that would be Jupiter.

    --- Penguin.
    Last I heard it was the biggestπŸ™‚
    Since it still has an impressive atmosphere after 4 billion years I think it safe to say it will have just as impressive one in another 4 billion years, maybe even surviving the coming red giant phase of the sun.
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    20 Aug '08 10:301 edit
    Originally posted by sonhouse
    Last I heard it was the biggestπŸ™‚
    Since it still has an impressive atmosphere after 4 billion years I think it safe to say it will have just as impressive one in another 4 billion years, maybe even surviving the coming red giant phase of the sun.
    Gravitation rules! The most dominant planet in the solar system gravitationally.

    Next is Saturn, but in the same time it has the lowest density. It floats in water (!?) πŸ™‚
  10. Standard memberuzless
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    20 Aug '08 19:15
    Originally posted by FabianFnas


    Next is Saturn, but in the same time it has the lowest density. It floats in water (!?) πŸ™‚
    So do very small rocks
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    20 Aug '08 20:05
    Originally posted by uzless
    So do very small rocks
    Rocks have a density of around 5 kg/dm3, they never float in water.
  12. Standard memberflexmore
    Quack Quack Quack !
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    21 Aug '08 00:24
    Originally posted by joe shmo
    I have heard that if our Earth were to stop rotating our atmosphere would dissapate into space. My conceptualization of the scenario; Gravity is caused by mass curving space-time... The Earth rotating about it axis, exerts a centrifugal force, which acts in opposition to gravitation......Why, would stopping the rotation of the Earth, negate the affect of g ...[text shortened]... it seems quite opposite?

    Hope someone can explain this in layman terms, thanks...
    Eric πŸ˜•πŸ™‚
    Rotation of the earth causes the atmosphere to be thicker at the equator ... and thinner at the poles. Without the spin the atmosphere at the equator would be thinner.
  13. Subscribersonhouse
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    21 Aug '08 03:27
    Originally posted by flexmore
    Rotation of the earth causes the atmosphere to be thicker at the equator ... and thinner at the poles. Without the spin the atmosphere at the equator would be thinner.
    splain that.
  14. Standard memberAThousandYoung
    or different places
    tinyurl.com/2tp8tyx8
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    21 Aug '08 04:501 edit
    Originally posted by sonhouse
    splain that.
    Gravity acts as centripetal force best when the center of the Earth is also close to the center of the circle of orbit. Air particles are basically orbitting the Earth when it and they spin.

    If an air particle were going around, say, one of the higher latitutes, gravity would have two compents; a centripetal one, and one that pulls the air particle toward the equator. Think about it.
  15. Standard memberAThousandYoung
    or different places
    tinyurl.com/2tp8tyx8
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    21 Aug '08 04:52
    Originally posted by FabianFnas
    Rocks have a density of around 5 kg/dm3, they never float in water.
    Pumice does.
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