CBSE Class 11-science Answered
if the ice on the polar caps of the earth melts how will it affect the duration of the day ? why?
Asked by kunalxi | 09 Feb, 2012, 11:13: PM
Expert Answer
Well, the north polar ice cap would not have much effect, because it is floating sea ice. The ice caps that would matter are the Antarctica and Greenland ice caps. If they were to melt, days would get slightly longer (and there would be slightly fewer of them in a year). This is because the liquid water would distribute more evenly about the globe rather than all being near the poles, so the Earth's moment of inertia would increase. Since the Earth's angular momentum will not change, that means that its angular velocity (rate of turning) will decrease.
This is analogous to what happens on a playground carousel when a person standing near the axis moves outward: the rotation will slow.
This will be a very small change, as the mass of water in the polar ice caps is only a teeny tiny fraction of the total mass of the Earth.
This is analogous to what happens on a playground carousel when a person standing near the axis moves outward: the rotation will slow.
This will be a very small change, as the mass of water in the polar ice caps is only a teeny tiny fraction of the total mass of the Earth.
Answered by | 09 Feb, 2012, 11:24: PM
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