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What on Earth is spin? - Brian Jones

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Why does the Earth spin? Does a basketball falling from a spinning merry-go-round fall in a curve, as it appears to, or in a straight line? How can speed be manipulated while spinning? In short, why is the spinning motion so special? Brian Jones details the dizzyingly wide array of ways that spinning affects our lives.

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The angular momentum of the Earth plus that of the moon is conserved. As time goes on, the Earth spins less rapidly. Thinking by analogy with the case of the ice skater, this means that the moon must:

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TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Brian Jones
  • Director Darcy Vorhees
  • Animator Marissa Hutchins, Sarah Johnson, Tom Beuerlein
  • Narrator Brian Jones

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