Many people are aware that the Earth revolves around the sun every 24 hours, but they don’t know that the planet’s rotational speed varies. This means that a day may sometimes feel shorter or longer than what we would expect. The nuclear clocks, that maintain standard time, have to be adjusted on a regular basis by adding or subtracting one second. This is known as the leap second. This article will describe how this change occurs, and why it matters to our daily schedules.

One of the most common rotating events is precession. It is the periodic wobble of Earth’s central axis, much like a slightly off-center spinning toy top. The axial direction change relative to fixed stars (inertial space) is observed for a period of 25,771.5 years. It also plays a role in switching the directions of cyclones across the Northern and Southern Hemisphere. Other rotating events include the Chandler wobble free nutation, the polar motion.

The speed of the rotator is affected by other factors such as earthquakes, weather conditions, and other periodic events. For example, if the core of the Earth is rotating faster than its outer layer, a day will appear shorter. This review is due to tide forces acting on the surface of the Earth as well as gravitational pulls from other objects in the Solar System, such as Jupiter and Saturn. This is the reason that the Earth’s rotational speed needs to be considered when designing fun park rides like Ferris wheels and carousels.