Alt text:
For decades I've been working off the accumulated rotation from one long afternoon on a merry-go-round when I was eight.
this post was submitted on 18 Jan 2024
436 points (98.9% liked)
xkcd
8637 readers
11 users here now
A community for a webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language.
founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
view the rest of the comments
If every human on the planet just started running in the same direction, could we collectively affect the rotation of the planet like running on a ball? ๐ค
Yes, we would affect the Earth's rotation. It's just by a ridiculously small amount that nobody would ever be able to measure.
Now I am wondering how many humans would it take to be measurable and significant?
Whatever amount of people it'd take, the effect we'd make, would cancel at break.
I was going to say a similar thing, how are you going to get gone without canceling it out.
But also if you walked away from the equator then walked until you were directly north/ south of your home before walking home, some effect would remain.
I don't believe that to be correct, but I'm to stupid to refute you. So I'll take it as facts. Thank you for enlightening me.
It's because your return journey is closer to the axis of the earth so your action has less torque.