The Earth, in its constant dance around the Sun and around its axis, exhibits astonishing speed. However, for us, the inhabitants of this planet, this movement is practically imperceptible, and there are two main factors that explain this apparent inertia: the constant speed and the presence of Earth's gravity.
To understand this issue better, it is necessary to reconsider the concept of centrifugal force. We can imagine this in everyday situations, such as when we are pulled to the other side during a curve in the car or when we notice clothes “sticking” to the walls of a washing machine in centrifugal mode.
Centrifugal force arises due to the principles of inertia, which describes the tendency of objects to maintain a state of rest or motion. In situations such as a car turning, this force “pulls” us to follow a straight path, even though we are in a curved motion.
The question arises: If the Earth is constantly rotating, why do we not feel this movement? First, the smoothness of this movement, without sudden changes in acceleration, plays a decisive role. Compared to a vehicle traveling at a constant speed on a road without sudden curves, the feeling is that it is stationary relative to the ground, while the world around us appears to be moving.
The second factor is the intensity of Earth's gravity, which is much greater than the centrifugal force resulting from the Earth's rotation. This gravity is so strong that it keeps us “attached” to the planet, making the centrifugal force's attempt to throw us in a straight line imperceptible.
To illustrate the difference, the acceleration due to the Earth's rotation is about 0.03 m/s^2 at the equator, while the acceleration due to gravity is 9.8 m/s^2. Thus, centrifugal force becomes almost undetectable in the face of gravity.
Fortunately, the Earth will continue its journey with the same stability, providing the illusion of immobility for its inhabitants. Any sudden change in this pattern will certainly cause dramatic effects that will not go unnoticed.
With information from Canaltech.
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