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Questions and Answers
What is the primary cause of the Earth's rotation slowing down?
What is the term for the highest point of the ocean's water level?
What is the length of a lunar day?
What happens to the moon as a result of tidal friction?
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What is the term for the daily rise and fall of the ocean's water level?
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What is the result of the Earth's rotation slowing down?
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What is the term for the daily movement of the ocean's water?
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What occurs on the Earth's surface where the moon and Earth face each other?
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What is the effect of tidal friction on the Earth's rotation?
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What would happen to the Earth's axis without the moon's gravitational pull?
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How far is the moon moving away from the Earth each year?
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What is the result of synchronous rotation on the moon?
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What is the time it takes for the moon to rotate on its axis and orbit the Earth?
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Why do we never see the far side of the moon from Earth's surface?
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What is the consequence of tidal friction on the moon's rotation?
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Study Notes
Tidal Friction
- Tidal friction is the impact of one celestial body on another as they orbit around or near each other cyclically, causing tidal wave slowing and slowing down the Earth's spin.
- This friction occurs mainly in the shallow parts of the ocean, where tides are most prevalent.
- Tidal friction causes the Earth's rotation to slow down, resulting in days getting longer.
Difference between Solar Days and Lunar Days
- Solar days are defined as one complete rotation of a planetary body on its own axis.
- Lunar days are almost an hour longer than solar days, at 24 hours and 50 minutes.
- Lunar days are marked by the time it takes for the Earth to make one rotation and end up at the same position in space in relation to the moon.
Tidal Bulges
- Tidal bulges occur in a rolling fashion, reaching their apex at the points on the Earth closest to and farthest from the moon.
- Tidal bulges cause high tides to occur where the moon and Earth face each other, and again at the opposite side of the planet.
- The moon's gravitational pull causes tidal bulges, which slow down the Earth's rotation.
Effect of the Moon on the Earth's Rotation
- The moon's gravitational relationship with the Earth causes tidal friction, slowing down the Earth's rotation slightly, making each century about 0.002 seconds shorter.
- This effect is important and measurable over millions or billions of years.
- The moon's gravitational pull also stabilizes the axis of the Earth's orbit and helps hold the Earth in place along a predictable orbit around the sun.
Effect of Tidal Friction on the Moon
- Tidal friction is causing the moon to move away from Earth at about 3.78 centimeters (1.48 inches) per year.
- The force exerted on the Earth by the moon is slightly lesser than the force exerted on the moon by Earth, causing the moon to recede.
Synchronous Rotation
- Synchronous rotation is a natural occurrence due to tidal friction, causing the moon's rotation to slow down and sync with the Earth's rotation.
- This results in the same side of the moon always facing the Earth, with the far side of the moon remaining unseen from Earth's surface.
- The moon takes about 27 days to orbit the Earth and the same amount of time to rotate on its own axis.
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Description
Learn about tidal friction, its causes, and its effects on the Earth's rotation and length of days. Understand how it affects the ocean's tides and the planet's spin.
