• FuglyDuck@lemmy.world
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    14 hours ago

    “Due to tidal forces”

    Because, the moon (and maybe the sun, and other planets like Jupiter) are acting on it, yeah?

    The earth won’t stop spinning. What’s happening is that the moon’s gravity is slowing the earth’s spin as it drags our oceans towards it.

    Once our day is the same as the moon’s orbital period, then the tide will essentially be fixed, which means it’s no longer slowing us down.

    And all that energy, for the record, is going into the moon and expanding its orbit slightly.

    • gedaliyah@lemmy.world
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      11 hours ago

      Yes, although quantum effects also slow spinning celestial objects/systems, even in the absence of measurable tidal effects. That would take much, much longer to slow down.