...the Earth rotates? The Earth rotates anticlockwise as viewed from above the north pole. As it rotates the only thing causing the atmosphere to rotate with it is friction between air and the Earth's surface. So the air should rotate but at a slower speed than the solid part of the Earth, which means that an observer standing on the Earth should experience the air rushing past in the opposite direction to the Earth's rotation. This would be a very strong wind from east to west all over the Earth. Yet the air doesn't do that! Why not?
Old Know All: The same forces? You're saying that there is a force which drives the Earth to rotate? So what IS the force which does this? I thought the rotation was something continuing since the Earth originally formed (not significantly slowing because there's almost no friction in the vacuum of space).
Old Know All: The same forces? You're saying that there is a force which drives the Earth to rotate? So what IS the force which does this? I thought the rotation was something continuing since the Earth originally formed (not significantly slowing because there's almost no friction in the vacuum of space).