How Does the Moon's Tidal Locking Affect Earth's Rotation?

[scifi5]

Hypothetically if the moon suddenly explodes (reason irrelevant) how would that affect the Earth's spin (chaotic spin until zero spin?) and my main question is how long would it take for the planet to stop spinning?

Would one side constantly face the sun in the end?

 

[russ_watters]

The moon is slowing Earth's spin rate. If the moon disappeared, the Earth's spin rate would slow slower.

 

[Gaius Baltar]

Hypothetically if the moon suddenly explodes (reason irrelevant) how would that affect the Earth's spin (chaotic spin until zero spin?) and my main question is how long would it take for the planet to stop spinning?

Would one side constantly face the sun in the end?

How long? Doubt anybody really knows, although the theory is that the Earth's day will be twice as long as it is now, in about 5 thousand million years time.

It's safe to say, you won't be here when it happens.

 

[Nik_2213]

You're looking at the difference in drag between solar and lunar tides...

FWIW, without the Moon to stabilise it by Earth-tides, the Earth's axis is likely to wobble a lot more than the current precession rate etc. IIRC, that's one of the problems Mars has...

 

[Sniperman724]

How much is the moon slowing the Earth's rotation by?

 

[scifi5]

Why is the moon constantly facing the Earth with the same side? Wouldn't the same thing happen to the Earth orbitting around the sun if the moon was absent? Much like Mercury?

 

[Phobos]

How long? Doubt anybody really knows, although the theory is that the Earth's day will be twice as long as it is now, in about 5 thousand million years time.

Which will be right around the time the swollen sun is turning the Earth into a cinder.

 

[Gaius Baltar]

Which will be right around the time the swollen sun is turning the Earth into a cinder.

On the plus side, we won't be here to perish in that era.

 

[Phobos]

Why is the moon constantly facing the Earth with the same side?

Gravitational interaction between the Earth and Moon raises tides, not just in the Earth's oceans, but also in the rock of the Earth and Moon. As that raised section of the Earth/Moon moves out of alignment (due to the rotating Earth/Moon), gravity pulls back on it and brakes the rotation. Over time, the Moon became tidally locked with the Earth.

And as noted above, the effect is still slowing the Earth's rotation. It just takes a LONG time.