Skip to main content

This link is exclusively for students and staff members within this organisation.

Unauthorised use will lead to account termination.

Previous

The world of exoplanets

Next

Wave superposition

Worldly wobbles

Earth behaves as a spinning top in the gravitational field of the Sun, making it precess. It is also affected by the Moon, which gives it a periodic wobble. Movement of the mass of the oceans also has an impact on the rotation and orientation of the Earth. This changes the length of day and affects astronomers, who need to know the exact direction in which to point their telescopes

The terms in bold link to topics in the AQA, Edexcel, OCR, WJEC and CCEA A-level specifications, as well as the IB, Pre-U and SQA exam specifications.

The Earth’s rotational motion is affected by the gravitational fields of the Sun and Moon, and by changes in its moment of inertia when events such as tidal motion and earthquakes redistribute its mass.

Your organisation does not have access to this article.

Sign up today to give your students the edge they need to achieve their best grades with subject expertise

Subscribe

Previous

The world of exoplanets

Next

Wave superposition

Related articles: