Ask Science
Ask a science question, get a science answer.
Community Rules
Rule 1: Be respectful and inclusive.
Treat others with respect, and maintain a positive atmosphere.
Rule 2: No harassment, hate speech, bigotry, or trolling.
Avoid any form of harassment, hate speech, bigotry, or offensive behavior.
Rule 3: Engage in constructive discussions.
Contribute to meaningful and constructive discussions that enhance scientific understanding.
Rule 4: No AI-generated answers.
Strictly prohibit the use of AI-generated answers. Providing answers generated by AI systems is not allowed and may result in a ban.
Rule 5: Follow guidelines and moderators' instructions.
Adhere to community guidelines and comply with instructions given by moderators.
Rule 6: Use appropriate language and tone.
Communicate using suitable language and maintain a professional and respectful tone.
Rule 7: Report violations.
Report any violations of the community rules to the moderators for appropriate action.
Rule 8: Foster a continuous learning environment.
Encourage a continuous learning environment where members can share knowledge and engage in scientific discussions.
Rule 9: Source required for answers.
Provide credible sources for answers. Failure to include a source may result in the removal of the answer to ensure information reliability.
By adhering to these rules, we create a welcoming and informative environment where science-related questions receive accurate and credible answers. Thank you for your cooperation in making the Ask Science community a valuable resource for scientific knowledge.
We retain the discretion to modify the rules as we deem necessary.
view the rest of the comments
It's not some force keeping them the same, it's no force changes the speed of the moon. From my limited understanding the moon was created when a smaller planet crashed into the earth:
They both got the same momentum, therefor they started rotating at the same speed, once per day.
There is nothing out there which would be able to change the speed of the rotation of the moon. There is also nothing which would change the speed of the rotation of the earth. Therefor they keep spinning at the same speed.
Other people have explained it, and the same thing happens with other moons in the solar system, including some orbiting gas giants where your explanation couldn't have worked.
The Earth's gravitational field elongates the moon slightly, and an elongated satellite tends more to stabilize its rotation with the longer diameter fixed to point at the center of its orbit.
The moon rotates about once every 28ish days, the same as it's orbit. That's what being tidally locked means.