Mass Distribution: Polar Icecaps Melting & Day Length

AI Thread Summary
If the polar icecaps melted, the redistribution of mass would impact the Earth's rotation. The change in mass distribution would alter the moment of inertia, potentially leading to a change in the length of a day. Specifically, as mass moves from the poles to the equator, the Earth's rotation could slow down, making the day longer. Angular momentum must be conserved, which means that any significant shift in mass would affect rotational speed. Understanding these dynamics is crucial in predicting the consequences of polar icecap melting on day length.
Jonathan Teas
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Homework Statement


If the polar icecaps melted, the resulting water would spread over the entire earth. This new mass distrubtion would tend to make the length of a day:
a.longer,b.shorter,c.be unchanged,d.explode


Homework Equations


Mass does distribute uniformly but I am not sure how this affects the length of a day.


The Attempt at a Solution

 
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Think about rotation, angular momentum and moment of inertia
 
Thread 'Collision of a bullet on a rod-string system: query'

Thread 'Collision of a bullet on a rod-string system: query'

In this question, I have a question. I am NOT trying to solve it, but it is just a conceptual question. Consider the point on the rod, which connects the string and the rod. My question: just before and after the collision, is ANGULAR momentum CONSERVED about this point? Lets call the point which connects the string and rod as P. Why am I asking this? : it is clear from the scenario that the point of concern, which connects the string and the rod, moves in a circular path due to the string...
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