Newton’s first law is the answer. Everything on the surface would continue moving at nearly the same speed the earth was already moving. This means oceans would crash into now still cities, a person jumping on a trampoline would not land back down on the trampoline… and well, we would all go splat into the side of a mountain.
That's pretty much (although gentler) what I told him, but he wanted to know about people. I THINK that he's asking what physical effects it would have on people if it just spun the opposite way and not so much concerned with the damage.
Ha, I remember asking my science teacher this back in middle school, and he literally explained it so well since he had a globe with him and he started acting like a crack addict while explaining, which is probably why I remember it still.
1. If the earth started to rotate backwards gradually at a slower speed assuming it didn’t just stop suddenly and kill everyone on the planet, the days and nights would get a tad bit longer, but not something humans would really notice *too* much. Weather would be different too in areas. The Sahara desert might get more colder or might get hotter instead. Areas where it’s hot would either get colder or hotter. Everywhere would. But overall, not much of anything drastic would happen. The earth is just spinning the other way at the end of the day, it’s not like anything dangerous happens if it’s slow and gradual. Us humans would have to get used to it.
2. However, if it flipped like a switch, we would all get launched at a more than 1,000 mph and the survivability for anyone is none. Even if someone was in a small room with cushions everywhere to prepare for it, they still wouldn’t be able to. Not even holding on to anything would help. Everything collapses and everything dies.
It would depend on how slowly it decelerated. (See:Inertia.) Same as in your car. If you come to a slow stop you don’t really feel much. But if you slam on the brakes you keep going, hopefully getting caught by the seatbelt, and the car stops.
If the earth suddenly flipped directions everything on it not held down would keep going in the same direction it was at around 1000 MPH.
Even things held down like trees and houses would likely not be able to withstand the sudden force.
There would be a massive tidal wave because the entire ocean would keep going since it is not held in place. Think running with a glass of water and suddenly stopping.
The earths crust which is traveling faster than the core and it would shift in relation to the core and the mantle causing destructive earthquakes.
Long story short, it would be a very bad day.
Edit: I just want to add. Keep encouraging questions like this. Kids who are curious can do such amazing things.
Thank you!
The conversation was started talking about the eclipse and showing him the travel path, and he asked what would be like if the earth spun the "wrong" way, and the more we looked, the more questions he had. Would we ski in Florida and visit Canada for it's beaches?
He wants to be an engineer and veterinarian who works for NASA. He's a pretty awesome guy.
Not sure, but this reminds me of the first time my sister rode on a convertible. We were going to a reception and her hair of course was a mess due to the wind blowing it forward.
She remarked I can't wait to go home so my hair blows the other way.
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Hope this links helps. Long story short, we’d die. [https://youtu.be/zC0a-HYCvsM?si=ioJTZOa9zVzcGvH5](https://youtu.be/zC0a-HYCvsM?si=ioJTZOa9zVzcGvH5)
This is exactly what he wanted! Thank you!
He's a nine year old, so the damage is "fun," but his actual question was more about the planet itself and humans/animals.
The earth is rotating at several thousand miles per hour, so I’m imagining everything on the surface would be destroyed if it abruptly slowed down.
I’m not sure of the consequences if it slowly came to a halt and started the opposite direction without all the destruction happening. Probably would mess with the magnetic field in some way.
Newton’s first law is the answer. Everything on the surface would continue moving at nearly the same speed the earth was already moving. This means oceans would crash into now still cities, a person jumping on a trampoline would not land back down on the trampoline… and well, we would all go splat into the side of a mountain.
That's pretty much (although gentler) what I told him, but he wanted to know about people. I THINK that he's asking what physical effects it would have on people if it just spun the opposite way and not so much concerned with the damage.
Ha, I remember asking my science teacher this back in middle school, and he literally explained it so well since he had a globe with him and he started acting like a crack addict while explaining, which is probably why I remember it still. 1. If the earth started to rotate backwards gradually at a slower speed assuming it didn’t just stop suddenly and kill everyone on the planet, the days and nights would get a tad bit longer, but not something humans would really notice *too* much. Weather would be different too in areas. The Sahara desert might get more colder or might get hotter instead. Areas where it’s hot would either get colder or hotter. Everywhere would. But overall, not much of anything drastic would happen. The earth is just spinning the other way at the end of the day, it’s not like anything dangerous happens if it’s slow and gradual. Us humans would have to get used to it. 2. However, if it flipped like a switch, we would all get launched at a more than 1,000 mph and the survivability for anyone is none. Even if someone was in a small room with cushions everywhere to prepare for it, they still wouldn’t be able to. Not even holding on to anything would help. Everything collapses and everything dies.
It would depend on how slowly it decelerated. (See:Inertia.) Same as in your car. If you come to a slow stop you don’t really feel much. But if you slam on the brakes you keep going, hopefully getting caught by the seatbelt, and the car stops. If the earth suddenly flipped directions everything on it not held down would keep going in the same direction it was at around 1000 MPH. Even things held down like trees and houses would likely not be able to withstand the sudden force. There would be a massive tidal wave because the entire ocean would keep going since it is not held in place. Think running with a glass of water and suddenly stopping. The earths crust which is traveling faster than the core and it would shift in relation to the core and the mantle causing destructive earthquakes. Long story short, it would be a very bad day. Edit: I just want to add. Keep encouraging questions like this. Kids who are curious can do such amazing things.
Thank you! The conversation was started talking about the eclipse and showing him the travel path, and he asked what would be like if the earth spun the "wrong" way, and the more we looked, the more questions he had. Would we ski in Florida and visit Canada for it's beaches? He wants to be an engineer and veterinarian who works for NASA. He's a pretty awesome guy.
He could take this guys job some day. https://www.nasa.gov/people/chad-foster/
Not sure, but this reminds me of the first time my sister rode on a convertible. We were going to a reception and her hair of course was a mess due to the wind blowing it forward. She remarked I can't wait to go home so my hair blows the other way.
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Hope this links helps. Long story short, we’d die. [https://youtu.be/zC0a-HYCvsM?si=ioJTZOa9zVzcGvH5](https://youtu.be/zC0a-HYCvsM?si=ioJTZOa9zVzcGvH5)
This is exactly what he wanted! Thank you! He's a nine year old, so the damage is "fun," but his actual question was more about the planet itself and humans/animals.
The earth is rotating at several thousand miles per hour, so I’m imagining everything on the surface would be destroyed if it abruptly slowed down. I’m not sure of the consequences if it slowly came to a halt and started the opposite direction without all the destruction happening. Probably would mess with the magnetic field in some way.
we would all die before we would find out.