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Post by phinehas on Mar 24, 2007 0:40:40 GMT -5
Don't ask me why I started to think about this...it was a sidetracked thought while delving into the evolution debate on the other thread.
"As you read this, the Moon is moving away from us. Each year, the Moon steals some of Earth's rotational
energy, and uses it to propel itself about 3.8 centimeters higher in its orbit. Researchers say that when
it formed, the Moon was about 14,000 miles (22,530 kilometers) from Earth. It's now more than 280,000
miles, or 450,000 kilometers away."
3.8 centimeters = 1.5 inches. 63,360 inches in a mile.
That means it would take 42,240 years for the moon to move 1 mile away.
So, 280,000 miles minus 14,000 miles = a distance change of 266,000 miles.
That would mean it took 11,235,840,000 years. Almost 11 and 1/4 billion years for the moon to go from 14,000 miles away from earth to it's present state of 280,000 miles away from the earth.
The age of the earth is supposed to be 4.5 billion years and people say the same goes for the moon.
So, how did a moon that has only existed for 4.5 billion years max, be able to move a distance that would take over 11 billion years?
Is my math wrong? Maybe it is. Tired and time to go to bed. cya.
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Post by Twista on Mar 24, 2007 2:34:29 GMT -5
Hmm... I remember reading a good article about that but I can't remember the numbers... It could be that the rate of change is slowing due to distance or the effect of gravitational pull. The theory of two planets colliding to form earth, with the moon as the leftover "lighter stuff", could mean that there was a lot of inertia to overcome at the start. The article I read mentioned that at some long off point, the gravitational pull between the two bodies will equalize and the rotation of the earth will be slowed greatly. The earth and moon will always have the same side facing each other, there will be no more tides, and the earth day will be about 40 days long.
Mighty hot days and cold nights... Makes global warming look trivial...
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Post by bamagatr on Mar 24, 2007 6:10:58 GMT -5
Is my math wrong? Maybe it is. Tired and time to go to bed. cya. I'll assume the math is right...it can be checked, but I'm too lazy... I am curious about how "researchers" determined the "starting point" of 14,000 miles from earth...and that's where it was when "it formed." The premises (input) of the calculation raises as many questions as does the conclusion... To put it mathematically...looks like we have one equation with at least 2 unknowns...we either need another independent equation, or some more "known"... the 4.5 billion year age of the earth and moon is no more (or less) reliable than the 14,000 mile starting point... Also...let's not leave Newton out of this...his second law (F = ma), would lead us to the conclusion that the motion away from each other would be described with acceleration (not constant velocity). Yes, it's a DECREASING acceleration as the force decreases, but acceleration nonetheless.... Also...Newton's third law says that BOTH objects are moving...in opposite directions...so that could have a significance on your time factor if calculated over a delta T of 4.5 billion years!!
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Post by bamagatr on Mar 24, 2007 6:53:50 GMT -5
The more I think about this (and I have no idea why I am)...the more it looks like the 14,000 mile "starting point" is a result of a calculation that uses 4.5 billion years as input, and calculates "backwards" (in time) using Newton's and Planck's equations....just a thought...
Now I'm going outside and enjoy springtime...
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