The Importance of Earth’s Rotation: What You Need to Know for Geography Class

CNN Indonesia

Monday, 25 Dec 2023 07:00 WIB

Illustration. Planet Earth always rotates on its axis. So, do you know why the planet Earth rotates and what is evidence of the Earth’s rotation? (iStockphoto/Robin_Hoood)

Jakarta, CNN Indonesia —

Why planet earth Spinning is a question that is often asked by students in lessons Geography at school.

Planet The earth rotates on its axis, which is an imaginary line that connects the north pole and the south pole. For more details, see the following explanation.

Why does planet Earth rotate?

Planet Earth rotates due to the gravitational process between the sun and Earth attracting each other.

Quoted from Geography Class X High School Learning Module Ministry of Education and Culture (2020), The Earth rotates on its axis and moves around the Sun at an inclination of 23.5 degrees.

The Earth rotates on its axis from west to east. The time required for one rotation is 23 hours 56 minutes 4.09 seconds or one day.

When the Earth rotates, part of the surface will be exposed to the Sun and others will not. We know this event day and night.

Areas exposed to sunlight will experience day, while areas not exposed to sunlight will experience night.

Events resulting from the rotation of the Earth

Illustration. Events resulting from the rotation or rotation of the earth. (iStockphoto/Elen11)

The rotation of the Earth on its axis can be proven through the following phenomena or events.

1. Daily apparent motion of stars

The rotation of the Earth can make it seem as if we see the Sun moving from east to west around the Earth.

In fact, what actually happens is that the Sun does not move, but the Earth moves around the Sun from west to east.

This non-actual motion is called the apparent daily motion of the stars. It is called apparent daily motion because we can observe it every day or at any time.

2. Happens day and night

As previously explained, the part of the Earth that faces the Sun when rotating on its axis will experience day.

Meanwhile, the part of the Earth facing away from the Sun will experience night. This happens alternately, namely the length of day and night is an average of 12 hours.

However, there are differences in the times of day and night in places far from the equator.

3. There is a time difference

People who are in the east will experience the sunrise and sunset first. Because the Earth rotates from west to east.

Areas that are at an angle of 15 degrees further east will see the sun rise earlier for 1 hour.

This means that if in West Nusa Tenggara, the Sun has already risen, then in Jakarta, people will only see the Sun rising 1 hour later.

4. Difference in gravitational acceleration

The rotation of the Earth produces irregular movements of the liquid metal in the Earth’s core.

This condition results in the Earth’s mass not being distributed evenly and resulting in different gravitational acceleration values ​​in various places in the Earth’s hemisphere.

5. Change in wind direction

Changes in wind direction are also an impact of the Earth’s rotation. Wind moves towards areas of minimal pressure.

This causes a change in wind direction as an effect of the Coriolis force in the wind. In the northern hemisphere the wind will turn to the right.

Conversely, in the Southern Hemisphere the wind will turn to the left. The effect of the Coriolis force also has an impact on several other things on earth, such as changes in the direction of ocean currents.

This is an explanation of why the planet Earth rotates and what events occur due to the Earth’s rotation. Hopefully you learn and hopefully it’s useful!

(south)

2023-12-25 00:00:22
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