Why Do Things Spin? Solar Systems, Planets, Galaxies

  • Context: High School 
  • Thread starter Thread starter piccini9
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Spin
Join the discussion
Ask a follow-up here, or get your own question answered by working scientists, mathematicians and engineers — people, not an autocomplete.
Real named experts · corrections over time · the nuance an AI answer skips
Sign up Log in
4 replies · 3K views
piccini9
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
Solar systems, planets, spiral galaxies. (Atoms?) What causes objects to spin, rather than just wobble around?
 
Last edited:
Astronomy news on Phys.org
Welcome to PF.

What does "wobble around" mean? If something has a force applied offcenter, it spins because of the uncentered force. I'm not sure quite how else to explain it.
 
I share russ's confusion with the term "wobble" but I think the answer to this analogous question might help:

Why do things move in a straight line rather than just curve around?

Of course, the answer to this is that any curving motion requires a force to be acting. The situation is the same for rotational motion.
 
Conservation of angular momentum.
 
resaypi said:
Conservation of angular momentum.


Thank you, that makes perfect sense.
 

Similar threads

High School Which Way Do Planets in Our Galaxy Spin?
  • Canada Bob
  • · Replies 7 ·
  • Astronomy, Astrophysics, Cosmology
Replies
7
High School Does Time Pass at Different Rates on Other Planets?
  • mathewmcgill
  • · Replies 19 ·
  • Astronomy, Astrophysics, Cosmology
Replies
19
Undergrad Why Do Galaxies Spin and What Drives Their Motion?
  • Trying2Learn
  • · Replies 53 ·
  • Astronomy, Astrophysics, Cosmology
2
Replies
53
Undergrad Any Galaxy (Milky-way) based coordinate systems?
  • vsrawat
  • · Replies 8 ·
  • Astronomy, Astrophysics, Cosmology
Replies
8
Undergrad New Developments In The Search For Planet X
  • ohwilleke
  • · Replies 2 ·
  • Astronomy, Astrophysics, Cosmology
Replies
2
High School Question about the solar system and gravitational forces
  • Sundown444
  • · Replies 10 ·
  • Astronomy, Astrophysics, Cosmology
Replies
10
High School Why don't galaxies obey gravity?
  • Wallsy
  • · Replies 36 ·
  • Astronomy, Astrophysics, Cosmology
2
Replies
36
High School What is responsible for the spinning of a galaxy?
  • MikeeMiracle
  • · Replies 5 ·
  • Astronomy, Astrophysics, Cosmology
Replies
5
Undergrad Evidence for existence of a 9th Planet in the solar system
  • Zeeshan Ahmad
  • · Replies 15 ·
  • Astronomy, Astrophysics, Cosmology
Replies
15
Undergrad What Could Cause the Earth's Rotation to Dramatically Slow Down?
  • garymc11
  • · Replies 39 ·
  • Astronomy, Astrophysics, Cosmology
2
Replies
39