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Question
If the Earth stopped revolving around the sun would the otherplanets in our solor system be affected?
Hello.
If the earth stopped revolving around the Sun, yes - the other planets would be affected in various minor ways. Mainly, their positions would be slightly altered since some of the rotational (kinetic or motion) energy of the Earth would have to be transferred to them. (Energy can neither be created or destroyed, only changed from one form to another).
Since change in rotational energy means change at the rate they would be moving in orbit- which also means change in position, then their positions would have to change.
The amount of the change would depend upon how (exactly) the rotational motion energy of the Earth was distributed among the other solar system bodies.
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Answers by Expert:
Philip Stahl
Expertise
I have forty years of experience in Astronomy, specifically solar and space physics. My specialties include the physics of solar flares, sunspots, including their effects on Earth and statistics as applied to astronomical investigations.
Experience
Astronomy: more than forty years experience starting with construction of my own simple telescopes. Worked at university observatory in college, doing astrographic measurements. M.Phil. degree in Physics/Solar Physics and more than ten years as researcher.
Organizations
American Astronomical Society (Solar Physics and Dynamical Astronomy divisions), American Mathematical Society, American Geophysical Union
Publications
Solar Physics (journal), The Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, The Proceedings of the Meudon Solar Flare Workshop (1986), The Proceedings of the Caribbean Physics Conference (1985). Books: 'Selected Analyses in Solar Flare Plasma Dynamics', 'Physics Notes for Advanced Level'.
Education/Credentials
B.A. Astronomy, M. Phil. Physics
Awards and Honors
American Astronomical Society Studentship Award (1984), Barbados Government Award for Solar Research
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