Question

When there is a global heating trend on Earth, and the atmosphere expands, causing a slight increase in the length of the day, what is the explanation for this phenomenon?

a) Earth's axial tilt changes.
b) Conservation of angular momentum.
c) Increased friction between Earth and the atmosphere.
d) Redistribution of mass due to melting ice.

Answer 1

The slight increase in the length of a day during a global heating trend is due to the conservation of angular momentum. As the atmosphere expands, the Earth rotates more slowly, resulting in longer days.

Step-by-step explanation:

When there is a global heating trend on Earth, and the atmosphere expands, the length of the day increases very slightly. This phenomenon can be explained by the conservation of angular momentum. When the Earth's atmosphere warms up, it expands and some of the atmospheric mass moves farther from the axis of rotation. Since the total angular momentum of the Earth-atmosphere system must be conserved, the expansion causes the Earth to rotate more slowly, thus increasing the length of the day. This is similar to a figure skater extending their arms during a spin; as they extend their arms, they spin slower.