The earth's rotation rate is slowing down because of friction against the tidal bulges caused by the gravitation of the moon (major factor) and the sun (lesser factor). The earth's rotational energy is dissipated as heat, but where is the angular momentum going, and what physical mechanism brings that momentum there?
(In reply to
re(7): I disagree - me too, with you by ThoughtProvoker)
I was simply referring back to the original problem statement which reads, "The earth's rotational energy is dissipated as heat, but where is the angular momentum going?"
If the rotational energy can be dissipated into heat (which is just molecular motion), why doesn't the angular momentum go there too? It seems odd to me that one can maintain that the energy is dissipated (or "transfered"--pick your favorite word) to the heat in the earth, but the momentum is transfered to the moon. I still can't buy that part. Isn't there a net angular momentum of all that molecular motion we're calling "heat"? I'm picturing lots of little molecular-level dust devils--the total spin of which would account for that part of the earth's slow down that's a result of friction. (Did that make sense? ...because I think I could explain it better...)
I could buy an argument that says rotational kinetic energy is being transferred to the moon along with the angular momentum. After all, isn't there an increase in the rotational kinetic energy of the moon's orbit to increase its radius to begin with? But that's not what the original problem asserts.
And I agree with the E=mc˛ remark; I don't think we're dealing with any nuclear cataclysms here. ;-)
P.S. Pardon the little accented u in my last post. What I entered was the greek letter omega--for angular velocity. Dunno what changed it.
re(8): I disagree - me too, with you
