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Explain why the Earth stays in constant rotation. What are the effects of this constant rotation?

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Final answer:

The Earth stays in constant rotation due to its initial angular momentum, which was conserved from when the solar system formed. The effects of Earth's rotation include day and night, the Coriolis effect, and the equatorial bulge.


Step-by-step explanation:

The Earth's Rotation

The Earth stays in constant rotation due to its initial angular momentum. When the solar system formed, the cloud of gas and dust that eventually became the Earth was spinning and this spinning was conserved as the Earth formed. Thus, the Earth continues to rotate today.

Effects of Earth's Rotation

The constant rotation of the Earth has several effects. It gives rise to phenomena such as day and night, the Coriolis effect, and the equatorial bulge. Day and night occur because different parts of the Earth are illuminated by the Sun at different times as the Earth rotates. The Coriolis effect causes moving objects, like wind currents and ocean currents, to be deflected to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere. Lastly, the Earth's rotation causes it to bulge slightly at the equator due to centrifugal forces.


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