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Cosmic Rotation: Not Everything Spins
Celestial bodies like planets and stars rotate, often inheriting spin from their formation. However, not all structures, such as cosmic filaments, rotate; galaxies form through matter aggregation in a rotating plane, unlike filaments. Subatomic 'spin' is not actual rotation.
Spanish
Spain
OtherScienceCosmologyAstrophysicsQuantum MechanicsRotationCelestial MechanicsSpin
Universidad Del País Vasco
Ruth LazkozJuan Antonio Baena FusteguerasVictoria Toro
- What are the primary mechanisms driving the rotation of celestial bodies, and what are the exceptions to this rule?
- Many celestial bodies, including planets, stars, and even galaxies, rotate. This rotation often originates from their progenitor, with collapsing stars spinning faster, similar to a figure skater pulling in their arms. However, not all cosmic structures rotate; filaments in the cosmic web, for instance, do not exhibit rotation.
- How does the conservation of angular momentum affect the rotation of large-scale structures, and what forces can oppose this effect?
- Rotation in celestial bodies is often amplified when particles with angular momentum combine due to conservation laws. However, frictional forces can counteract gravity, slowing down the rotation.
- What are the key differences between the formation and rotational properties of galaxies versus cosmic filaments, and how does this relate to the concept of 'spin' at the subatomic level?
- The absence of rotation in some large-scale structures like cosmic filaments contrasts with the rotational formation of galaxies. This difference stems from how matter aggregates; in galaxies, matter accumulates in a rotating plane, whereas in filaments, it agglomerates along a line. At subatomic levels, while particles possess 'spin', this does not represent actual rotation.