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Grade 11General Physics

if earth were to shrink suddenly, what would happen to the length of the day?

Profile image of ajeet singh
13 Years agoGrade 11
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5 Answers

Profile image of mayank tanwar
13 Years ago

IF EARTH WERE TO SHRINK SUDDENLY THEN ITS MOMENT OF INERTIA WILL DECREASE.

BY CONSERVATION OF ANGULAR MOMENTUM ANGULAR VELOCITY WILL INCREASE

THEREFORE LENGTH OF THE DAY WILL DECREASE

Profile image of G Ashwin -
13 Years ago

it depends on the time taken to rotate on its axis and i don''t think that its mass would affect the length of the day unless its rotating speed changes

Profile image of vinay kant
13 Years ago

FROM CONSERVATION OF ANGULAR MOMENTUM

AS NO EXTERNAL TORQUE IS ACTING

I W=CONSTANT   WHERE   W=ANGULAR VELOCITY

AS EARTH SHRINKS ITS MOMENT OF INNERTIA ABOUT ITS AXIS DECREASES THUS ITS ANGULAR VELOCITY INCRESES AND TIME PERIOD OF ROTATION ABOUT ITS OWN AXIS DECREASE 

THEREFOR LENGTH DAYS BECOME SHORTER

Profile image of Nikhil Yadav
9 Years ago
If earth were to shrink keeping its mass same then naturally it`s size is going to decrease , it means , it`s radius will also decrease hence its rotation speed will increase and duration of day will decrease
Profile image of Rishi Sharma
5 Years ago
Dear Student,
Please find below the solution to your problem.

If the earth were to shrink from its original size than the moment of inertia will decrease.
By the conservation of angular momentum, the angular velocity will increase to to its small size and thus the length of the day will decrease.

Thanks and Regards