Revolution of Planets: Rotation & Revolving Around Stars

In summary, planets continuously rotate on their axis and revolve around stars due to their constant energy in orbit. This energy is not consumed and there is no friction, so planets do not slow down. Therefore, they do not expel any heat in the process.
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saket agrawal
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How do planets continuously rotate on their axis or revolve around stars ? Do the energy they consume for this continued motion gets expelled as heat ?
 
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  • #2
saket agrawal said:
How do planets continuously rotate on their axis or revolve around stars ?
Explain to yourself how they can not.
 
  • #3
saket agrawal said:
How do planets continuously rotate on their axis or revolve around stars ? Do the energy they consume for this continued motion gets expelled as heat ?
No energy is consumed for this. A planet in orbit has constant energy: its spin energy is constant, and its orbital kinetic energy changes by the opposite amount that its gravitational potential energy changes.

Also, if they were consuming energy (which they are not) then they would have to absorb heat (which they do not). Expelling heat would be exactly backwards.
 
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  • #4
There's no friction, so nothing slows down planets. Gravity do not "consume" any energy
 
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The revolution of planets, or their motion around a star, is due to the force of gravity. The star's immense gravitational pull causes the planets to continuously orbit around it. This motion is also affected by the planet's own rotation on its axis.

The rotation of a planet on its axis is caused by its initial angular momentum, which is a result of the way the planet was formed. As the planet rotates, it also experiences gravitational forces from the star, which can cause changes in its rotation speed and axis. This is known as tidal forces.

As for the energy consumed by planets for their motion, it is not expelled as heat. Instead, it is conserved and transformed into different forms. For example, the energy from the planet's rotation can be transferred to its atmosphere and contribute to weather patterns and atmospheric circulation.

Furthermore, the energy from the planet's orbit around the star is also conserved and contributes to the overall stability of the solar system. The motion of planets is a delicate balance of gravitational forces and conservation of energy.

In summary, the continuous rotation and revolution of planets is a result of the interplay between gravitational forces and conservation of energy. This motion does not expel energy as heat, but rather it is conserved and contributes to various processes within the planet and its surroundings.
 

1. What causes planets to rotate and revolve around stars?

The rotation and revolution of planets around stars is primarily caused by the force of gravity. The star's large mass creates a gravitational pull that keeps the planets in orbit, while their own rotation is a result of their initial spin when they were formed.

2. How long does it take for a planet to complete one rotation?

The length of a planet's rotation is dependent on its size and distance from its star. For example, Earth completes one rotation in approximately 24 hours, while Jupiter takes around 10 hours. The closer a planet is to its star, the faster it will rotate.

3. Do all planets in our solar system rotate and revolve in the same direction?

Yes, all planets in our solar system rotate and revolve in the same direction. This is due to the way our solar system was formed, with all planets orbiting the sun in the same direction as the sun's rotation.

4. Can planets change their rotation and revolution over time?

While it is possible for a planet's rotation or revolution to change slightly over time due to external forces, such as the gravitational pull of other planets, these changes are typically very small and do not significantly impact a planet's overall rotation and revolution.

5. What is the difference between rotation and revolution?

Rotation refers to the spinning motion of a planet or object around its own axis, while revolution refers to the orbital motion of a planet or object around another object, such as a star. In simpler terms, rotation is like a top spinning on its own, while revolution is like a planet orbiting around a star.

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