From elementary to high school, there is always material about the earth and its contents. Both the structure, the constituent layers, to how the earth moves every time. Earth’s motion itself is divided into two. One of them is the rotation of the earth.
So, what is the rotation of the earth? Come on, let’s discuss it again while remembering the material when we were in school. For those who are still in school, read too, yes! Maybe show up on exams next week. Come on, cus!
What is the Earth’s Rotation?
Interpreted separately, the word rotation has the meaning of rotation. As reported by Educational National Geographic, rotation is the name for a three-dimensional spherical object that rotates with an invisible line bearing on the inside of its center.
Like a basketball spinning on a finger, the earth also moves. So, what is Earth’s rotation? The definition of the earth’s rotation is the rotation of the earth on its axis which is known as the axis.
From the same source, it is known that the earth’s axis is vertical from the north pole to the south pole. Then, the earth rolls while moving up and down which takes place every day. Even though the earth is moving at a speed of 1674 kilometers per hour, humans and all things on earth remain in the same position and do not feel dizzy. This is thanks to gravity. Wow, cool, huh, where do we live?
As reported by NASA Science Solar System Exploration, with this speed the earth takes an average of 24 hours aka a day and night to make one rotation. The rotation of the earth turns out to be very impactful with life in it, you know!
What are the effects of the earth’s rotation?
Although rarely realized, the rotation of the earth actually provides many benefits for life. You can feel the effects of the earth’s rotation every day. In fact, if the earth did not rotate, this could damage living things and cause an imbalance in nature.
Continued every day, here are some of the effects that occur due to the rotation of the earth.
1. Setting and time difference
When you depart from Makassar at 15.00 WITA, you arrive in Surabaya at 15.00 WITA. In fact, the flight lasted at least an hour. Well, this is one of the effects of the earth’s rotation. The duration of the rotation of the earth for 24 hours in 360 degrees is used as a division of time on earth.
The division of time is done by setting the point 0 degrees longitude which is in Greenwich, London. Furthermore, every 15 degrees of longitude to the east, the time will be an hour faster. On the other hand, every 15 degrees of longitude to the west is an hour behind Greenwich.
As a result, Earth has 24 hours of local time. So, when you fly from Makassar to Surabaya, the hours will remain the same, but the time division is different, namely WITA and WIB.
2. International calendar
Not only the division of time, the earth’s rotation is also used as a boundary for the international calendar. The difference is, if the time is set based on the 0-degree line, the international calendar is separated by a 180-degree line.
This point is in the Pacific Ocean. The rules are the same, the eastern part of the line is faster than the western part of the line. This division of hemispheres is also called longitude. So, when the east longitude is on the 17th, the area that belongs to the west longitude is still on the 16th.
3. Change of day and night
Every day, the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. Well, this is also a result of the rotation of the earth, you know. The rotation of the earth on its axis with the tilt of the axis causes the division of day and night evenly. The side that gets sunlight is day, while the side that is behind it experiences night.
The rotation of the earth also affects the temperature during the day and night. During the morning, sunlight hits the surface from an inclined angle so that the exposed area is wider and produces cooler temperatures. On the other hand, during the day the temperature feels hot because the sun is perpendicular with a narrower range of radiation.
4. The apparent motion of the sun
The sun seemed to revolve around the earth and the earth remained still. In fact, the earth continues to move on its axis while revolving around the sun which is called the motion of the earth’s revolution. This is known as the apparent motion of the sun.
As reported by Generation Genius, another pattern produced by the rotation of the earth is the interesting fact that you will find the shadows during the evening are longer than the daytime. Ever noticed it?
5. Affects the acceleration of gravity
When the earth rotates on its axis, the equator rotates faster than the south and north poles. As a result, the area of the earth that is close to the equator has a larger diameter than the area of the poles.
That is why, why the earth is not really round like a ball but rather flattened at both ends of the poles. This shape of the earth also causes the polar regions to have faster gravity than other regions.