Quote:
Originally Posted by Nesti
ABSOLUTELY, if the 6 side is facing Earth and stable, the 6 face will remain facing the Earth as the ISS and dice travels around the Earth 'unless affected by an external force'. This is the preservation of our laws of motion within the geodesic pathway.
So what does that actually mean???
The dice is actually traveling in uniform motion and in a dead-straight line...which just so happens to curve around the Earth.  |
For the 6 to remain facing the earth the die (singular noun) has to be tidally locked, so it is spinning, just like the moon. Once it is spinning it takes no force to keep it spinning.
Eventually earth will become tidally locked with the moon. They will both have the same day length, much longer than the current lunar month.
Tidal friction is slowing earth's rotation. Over the last few billion years it has already locked the moon because it is much smaller. The moon is moving away from earth to maintain the total angular momentum, thus making the lunar month longer.
Tides not only affect the oceans. The land has tidal bulges too, just much smaller because it is much less motile.