Why does the Earth spin?
Earth spins because of the way it was formed. Our Solar System formed about 4.6 billion years ago when a huge cloud of gas and dust started to collapse under its own gravity. As the cloud collapsed, it started to spin. Some of the material within this cloud gathered into swirling eddies and eventually formed into planets. As the planets formed, they kept this spinning motion. This is similar to what you see when skaters pull in their arms and spin faster. As material gathered in more closely to form a planet, like Earth, the material spun faster. The Earth keeps on spinning because there are no forces acting to stop it.
Do all planets spin? If they do spin, do they spin in the same direction?
All planets spin but there are some differences in the rotational in the planets - all but 2 rotate anti-clockwise like the Earth. Venus has its axis of rotation (its poles) in its side, and so is effectively "rolling" around in its orbit rather than spinning. Uranus has completely flipped and so has its axis in a similar orientation to Earth, but is spinning the other way .
Why is the Earth tilted?
The reason as to why the Earth is tilted cannot be explained. The Earth is tilted at an angle of 23.5 degrees. Scientists blame the tilt of the Earth on the ice age. That is what created the seasons of summer and winter. When the hemisphere tilts forward, it is warmer. When it tilts backwards, it is colder.
Earth spins because of the way it was formed. Our Solar System formed about 4.6 billion years ago when a huge cloud of gas and dust started to collapse under its own gravity. As the cloud collapsed, it started to spin. Some of the material within this cloud gathered into swirling eddies and eventually formed into planets. As the planets formed, they kept this spinning motion. This is similar to what you see when skaters pull in their arms and spin faster. As material gathered in more closely to form a planet, like Earth, the material spun faster. The Earth keeps on spinning because there are no forces acting to stop it.
Do all planets spin? If they do spin, do they spin in the same direction?
All planets spin but there are some differences in the rotational in the planets - all but 2 rotate anti-clockwise like the Earth. Venus has its axis of rotation (its poles) in its side, and so is effectively "rolling" around in its orbit rather than spinning. Uranus has completely flipped and so has its axis in a similar orientation to Earth, but is spinning the other way .
Why is the Earth tilted?
The reason as to why the Earth is tilted cannot be explained. The Earth is tilted at an angle of 23.5 degrees. Scientists blame the tilt of the Earth on the ice age. That is what created the seasons of summer and winter. When the hemisphere tilts forward, it is warmer. When it tilts backwards, it is colder.