LinkOn March 11, 2011 Japan's 8.9 magnitude earthquake shortened Earth's day by 1.8 millionths of a second. This doesn't sound like a lot but it does have a large impact. After this day our Earth is spinning quicker then usual. Scientists discovered this by collecting information from the earthquake data and the earth's rate of spin. This happened because every time the earth's mass moves closer to the rotation axis, it spins faster. To help explain how it works, you can think of a ice-skater moving her arms closer to her body. When the skater does this, they spin faster.
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I thought this article was so interesting! I had no idea that this was possible. This article got me thinking, even though it only shortened the day by 1.8 millionths of a second, how many more earthquakes or other natural disasters need to occur before our day gets to be shorter by hours? Although it does not affect humans that are day got millionths of a second shorter,I think that this could affect our world millions of years from now.
1) What other earthquake's may have shortened our day?
2) How did the earthquake effect Japan?
3) How did this earthquake effect the rest of the world?
WOW!!!!!I can not believe that an earthquake could do that. It is so strange to think that our day could potentially become less than 24 hours. We have grown up with this number yet now we could have less. I would like to know what the estimate is on when earthquakes occur because if they keep happening our day could be a lot different. That is an amazing story and i can't even believe it is true. I hope these earthquakes don't keep happening.
ReplyDelete1. Any earthquake ever may have shortened our day. It is strange to think but potentially the day could really be 23 hours 59 minutes and 58 seconds and we don't even know.
Reaction: I have already heard about other earthquakes shortening the day, so I figured that an earthquake of this magnitude must have done so. It kinda makes sense to me. I never thought about what implications this would have on future generations. I think it may be effective, but I have read in other articles that as the moon slowly drifts away from the earth, our axis loses its tilt and the days get longer. The whole loss of a second might not matter at all. I am a little worried though. All these earthquakes around the world are getting more and more frequent, as Shay said all the time lost could be hours from our days in future times.
ReplyDeleteExpansion: This is an article from Scientific American about the whole moon thing.
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=earth-rotation-summer-solstice
Heres an article on the earthquake itself:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/03/110314210442.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily+%28ScienceDaily%3A+Latest+Science+News%29
Questions:
1) As I mentioned, it is a fact that other earthquakes have shortened our day. The only example that I can think of at the moment is the Chile earthquake last year. Of course even if none of the recent earthquakes shortened our days, any of earth's earthquakes throughout its existence could have shortened its day length. We may never truly know.
2)Well it affected Japan in many ways. It caused a tsunami, it killed multiple people, then nuclear reactors are at a near meltdown.There was also a whirlpool caused by the earthquake All one has to do is watch the news to see the total destruction this earthquake brought and is bringing to Japan.
3) News programs have stopped reporting on the revolts in the middle east. The earthquake also caused other tsunamis, though none were quite as bad as the one that ripped through Japan. The earthquake was felt in other places, and now the world watches Japan as they try to stop the nuclear meltdown occurring. It was reported in California that small amounts of radiation had made it across the pacific very small, but still there.
Reaction: Wow it is amazing that an earthquake could do so much damage! I have to agree with Phil, it would be so weird to have a day that was shorter than 24 hours. This earthquake is reminding me so much of Katrina which is scary! The fact that these horrible quakes are becoming more frequent will have alot of negative effects on us in the future.
ReplyDelete1. I think all the hurricanes, including the smaller one, contribute to the shortening on the day. Maybe not right away, but eventually they are all going to add up.
2. Thousands and thousands of lives were lost, homes were destroyed, and now there is a nuclear scare. Japan is going to feel these effects for an extremely long time.
3. The earthquake will effect the rest of the world because other countries are going to be donating money and helping reconstruct the poor country.