Explain the difference between rotation and revolution?

  • Thread starter Thread starter JEFF A
  • Start date Start date
A rotation is something spinning.

A revolution is something moving around another object. Put your left index finger pointing up in front of you, and make a circle-like movement around that finger with your right index finger. That's a revolution.
 
The Earth rotates on it's axis (giving us day and night), and revolves around the sun (giving us seasons).

Or, for another example, thing of when you spin a top. the really fast spinning that the top does when it says in one place are rotations. When it starts to slow down, or if you spin it at an angle, the bottom will move on the surface of the table, in circles. Those are revolutions.
 
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