How does the inclination of Earth's axis change?

Answer 1

Yes, the earth's orbital velocity changes as it moves in its orbit around the sun. Velocity is speed coupled to a direction vector, and when we consider the earth, we realize that the planet is constantly changing direction and speed. Observers will, therefore, see that the earth is constantly changing velocity in its orbit about the sun.

Answer 2

As the Earth goes from aphelion to perihelion, approaching the Sun, the Sun's attraction makes it move faster. If you analyze the energy involved, potential energy is converted to kinetic energy. When the Earth moves away form the Sun again, the attraction of the Sun slows Earth down; and kinetic energy is converted to potential energy.

As the Earth goes from aphelion to perihelion, approaching the Sun, the Sun's attraction makes it move faster. If you analyze the energy involved, potential energy is converted to kinetic energy. When the Earth moves away form the Sun again, the attraction of the Sun slows Earth down; and kinetic energy is converted to potential energy.

As the Earth goes from aphelion to perihelion, approaching the Sun, the Sun's attraction makes it move faster. If you analyze the energy involved, potential energy is converted to kinetic energy. When the Earth moves away form the Sun again, the attraction of the Sun slows Earth down; and kinetic energy is converted to potential energy.

As the Earth goes from aphelion to perihelion, approaching the Sun, the Sun's attraction makes it move faster. If you analyze the energy involved, potential energy is converted to kinetic energy. When the Earth moves away form the Sun again, the attraction of the Sun slows Earth down; and kinetic energy is converted to potential energy.

Answer 3

No. It's important to understand that the earth's axis always points in the same

direction, at least on the time scale of one or several human lifetimes. The point

toward which the earth's north pole is directed is very close to the star "Polaris",

seen due north in the sky.

One you understand that the earth's axis of rotation always points in a constant,

unchanging direction, you can then visualize what happens as the earth makes a

complete circuit around the sun, and you're on the way to understanding how the

seasons occur.

Actually, the answer is yes, but one cycle takes about 26,000 years. That's why the constellations of the zodiac are about a month off from where they were a few millennia ago.

Answer 4

Sort of. The Earth's spin makes it like an enormous gyroscope, and gyroscopes are quite stable and unless pushed, the axis of rotation remains constant. However, all gyroscopes experience a slow wobbling behavior called "precession". The axis of rotation slowly shifts, as if to draw an enormous circle.

In the case of the Earth, the procession takes about 26,000 years per turn. So the North Star, Polaris, was NOT the "north star" 5,000 years ago, and won't be the north star a few thousand years from now. In about 13,000 years, the giant star Vega will be pretty close to being the "north star".

And since all the stars are actually moving independently in space, in 26,000 years when the Earth's precession has made one full circle, Polaris won't be especially close to being the north star; it will be over 5 degrees away from north.

Answer 5

The short answer is "no."

The longer answer is "it depends on what you mean by 'change' and over what period of time you consider."

The Earth's tilt isn't truly constant; it does "wobble" very slightly as a result of several factors. This wobble is tiny ... it requires fairly sophisticated instruments to even detect it ... but there's a component of it that does add up over time, that component being the precession of the Earth's axis.

Precession doesn't change the angle at which Earth's axis is tilted, but it does ... very slowly ... change the directionof the tilt. Right now, Earth's axis is pointed very nearly at the star Alpha Ursae Minoris, but over a course of about 26,000 years, it makes a full circle in the sky, so that in a few centuries "Polaris" won't actually be very close to the north celestial pole at all, and by around the year 3000 AD Gamma Cephei will be a better candidate for the name.

Answer 6

As the Earth goes from aphelion to perihelion, approaching the Sun, the Sun's attraction makes it move faster. If you analyze the energy involved, potential energy is converted to kinetic energy. When the Earth moves away form the Sun again, the attraction of the Sun slows Earth down; and kinetic energy is converted to potential energy.

Answer 7

No the earths axis has never changed and will never ever change.

Answer 8

The rotational axis of the Earth undergoes a complex series of wobbles . The largest and most well known is precession.

Answer 9

No, because force of gravity of sun is different at different times.

Answer 10

Seasons because earth is tilted so one hemisphere is closer to the sun.