Answer to Question #15757 in Mechanics | Relativity for Namisha Tiwari

Question

What could happen if the Earth suddenly stops rotating as well as revolving(around the Sun,of course)? Please answer in the domain of Central Field Theory! Thanks in advance..

Answer 1

Well, let's say that the Earth just stops dead in it's tracks, so to speak. Possibly, the force of the stop could send everything on the Earth's surface flying of into space or crashing into the Earth, depending on where it was. Also, the Earth would& crash into the Sun. The reason for this is that there are two forces keeping the Earth in orbit: gravity and centrifugal force. The centrifugal force is what keeps the Earth away from the sun, and is caused by the Earth's orbit. Gravity keeps the Earth from flying off into space. If the centrifugal force stops but the gravity continues, the Earth will fall towards the sun.& You could think of it very much like a baseball on a string that you are swinging around over your head. If you stop swinging it around, it will fall closer to the center; same with the Earth.