If Earth stops rotating for a second, what will happen?

Did you ever wonder what will happen if Earth stops rotating for a second? Scientists have discussed this hypothetical scenario. They agree it would be disastrous for our world.

The Earth rotates on its axis and completes one rotation every 24 hours, whereas it takes 365 days to complete one cycle around the Sun. Now consider a universe where Earth stops rotating for a single second. It may seem like a little delay, but the consequences would be full of disasters.

The Earth rotates quickly, completing one rotation every 23 hours and 56 minutes. It moves at approximately 1,600 kilometers per hour due to its rotation. This continual motion is essential for the survival of life on planet Earth. It contributes to the day-night cycle and influences everything from weather patterns to ocean activity.

But what if Earth stops rotating, even for a second? The answer is simple. If rotation stops suddenly, the momentum would create immeasurable damage.

Anything not firmly rooted in the ground would be thrown eastward at very high speeds. The atmosphere would hit the land with the force of a thousand storms.

It will destroy buildings and uproot trees at unimaginable scale. Furthermore, it will send projectiles flying through the air. The sudden rotation stop would also mess up the crust (outer surface) of Earth. The crust will shake massively from this change in motion, destructive earthquakes could happen.

After that, tsunamis would happen because the seas would move, which had been stopped by the rotation of Earth. These destructive waves would flood lands and destroy unimaginable amounts of property and life.

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According to Astronomer Neil deGrasse Tyson, the event would be so bad that it would kill everyone on Earth. It would be the worst day ever with people flying out of windows.

The Earth’s gravity field also affects the orbit of the Moon because it affects how fast Earth rotates. This delicate balance could be disturbed by a rapid stop. Hence, it could change the path of the Moon and the tides in ways that are hard to predict.

Tide forces from the Moon are also slowly reducing the Earth’s rotation, but the change is so slow that it takes 50,000 years to get longer by one second. However, a rapid stop is not something that happens in nature. It is just a thought experiment.