Many people are aware that Earth revolves around the Sun every 24 hours. However most people don’t know that the speed of rotation is not the same every day. A day can sometimes seem longer or shorter than what you’d expect. This is why the atomic clocks that maintain standardized time have to be periodically adjusted by adding or subtracting a second. This is referred to as leap seconds. This article will describe how this change occurs, and why it is important to our daily routines.
Precession is a standard rotating event. It is the cyclical wobble of the axis of the Earth, similar to the toy top spinning slightly off-center. This change in axial direction relative to fixed stars (inertial space) has a time lapse of 25,771.5 years. It’s also responsible in changing the direction of cyclones in the Northern and Southern Hemisphere. Other rotating events include free nutation and the Chandler wobble, and the polar movement.
In addition, to these periodic events, the speed of a rotator can also be affected by weather conditions and other factors such as earthquakes. For example, if the core of the Earth rotates faster than the outer layer, days will appear to be shorter. This change is caused by tide forces acting on the surface of the Earth as well as gravitational pulls from other objects within the Solar System, such as Jupiter and Saturn. This is why it’s important to consider the Earth’s rotational rate when designing fun park rides like Ferris wheels and Carousels.