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These resources have been reviewed and selected by STEM Learning’s team of education specialists for factual accuracy and relevance to teaching STEM subjects in UK schools.

Why does the earth spin

The Earth spins on its axis, completing a full revolution every day. By why does it do this? One of the most common misconceptions in physics is the belief that constant motion requires a constant force. So many people believe there must be some force in the Earth (e.g. gravity, centrifugal force) that keeps it spinning. In truth, no force is required because a fundamental property of mass is that it maintains its state of motion in the absence of external forces. This property is called inertia.

This video explains the same ideas as How does the Earth spin?

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