Earth’s tilt is responsible for the seasons and regulated climate patterns. If Earth rotated at a 0° angle (straight up), global weather patterns, agriculture, and biodiversity would be radically different, potentially making parts of the planet uninhabitable.

First, I gathered information from reliable sources such as educational videos. I researched how Earth formed and learned about the Giant Impact Hypothesis, which explains that a Mars-sized object called Theia may have collided with early Earth. Scientists believe this collision caused Earth’s 23.5° tilt and helped form the Moon. Next, I looked at how Earth’s tilt affects seasons and climate as Earth orbits the Sun. I looked at how the tilt changes the amount of sunlight different parts of Earth receive throughout the year.Then, I researched what scientists predict would happen if Earth had no tilt (0°). I compared how this would affect seasons, temperature patterns, and living things.Finally, I explained the information of both why Earth rotates on a diagonal axis, and what would happen if it didn't

Why does the earth rotate on its axis diagonally and what would happen if it didn't?  

By: Aaron Bhandari  Extra questions: What if the Earth didn't rotate on its axis? Why don't we feel the earth spinning? What if we stopped orbiting the Sun? How and when did the Earth start rotating? If a large asteroid or meteor hits the Earth with extreme force, would it change the speed / direction of the Earth? How is the goldilocks zone the best zone from the Sun? What if our axis was horizontal? What if the Earth was ten times its size? What if the Earth randomly starts spinning backwards? What if we started spinning from east to west a long time ago? What if we spun at the speed of light? What if the Earth was a flat disk?  Hypothesis: We believe that there will be a change in time because the Earth's angle has changed. Also there might not be any more seasons because the Earth will be facing the Sun with the same sides forever as it orbits. So if that happens, there will be no or very less natural climate change because the cold areas won't be exposed to heat, and the areas close to the equator won't be at a different angle that makes them cooler.

Research #1  Why does the Earth rotate on its axis diagonally, and what would happen if it didn't? Astronauts believe this is a cause due to the energetic clashes amongst the planetesimals (rock-type material in the solar system) which eventually all come together using self gravitational force to form planets, kicking them off the perpendicular orientation that they would naturally have. But what if our axis was not slanted at a 23.5 degree angle? This minor change will cause major effects to the way we live. First of all, there will be no seasons because the earth is not tilted to the plane of its axis. This will also cause problems for the north and south because they will be facing the Sun all the time. They will also be extremely cold because the heat from the sun will be flowing through the middle parts of the earth. So, all of this will lead to humanity suffering.

Research #2  What if the Earth didn't rotate on its own axis? If the Earth stopped spinning , everything would get dragged into the air eastward due to the atmosphere. The atmosphere does this because it is still following earth's normal rotation (1100 miles per hour). Another quick impact on earth will be on its centrifugal force, responsible for its tidal bulges around and on the equator. So, if the earth had stopped its rotation, all the remaining water would spread across the poles where gravity is strongest. So, everything above Spain will be underwater. Also, all of Antarctica will be underwater. Leaving an extremely dry chunk of land in the middle of our planet. That's not all because if we have no rotation, we will see the moon for half of the year, and the sun for the other half. Also we might have no magnetic field because many scientists believe that the earth's rotation creates a magnetic field that protects us from the sun's harmful radiation. So if we had no magnetic field, the harmful radiation from the sun would burst through our ozone layer turning our planet into a ball of mud. 

Research #3  Why don't we feel the Earth spinning?

This is because the earth is constantly rotating at the same speed with the atmosphere following along with it. So if the Earth were to change the speed of its rotation, we would feel it moving. It's quite surprising that we can’t feel an extreme gust of wind considering that we are moving at a speed of nearly 1100 miles per hour. But  since the atmosphere is moving along with our rotation, we won't feel that big gust of wind if we’re just standing there.

Research #4  What if we stopped orbiting the Sun?

If the earth stops orbiting the sun immediately, the first thing that would happen to you is not very pleasant because you will get thrown into space and die. So, let's imagine that we are slowly stopping to orbit the sun. First of all we only have 1 month to live. Well, in the first few days, you wouldn't notice any difference, but after another week or so, you will realize it's getting hotter really fast. This is happening because the closer we get to the sun, the faster its gravitational force is pulling the earth. Now the only way to live is by putting an AC, but this way, all of the power throughout the world will run out, causing humanity to go extinct. After day 41 of this extreme event, we have now passed venus. On day 65, the gravitational force of the sun is so hard, stretching earth into an oval shape which eventually bursts our planet at noon.

Research #5 How and when did the Earth start rotating?

Around 4.54 billion years ago, a massive cloud that was filled with dust and hydrogen started to collapse. This caused the cloud to flatten and become thinner. During this process, this dust cloud was gradually rotating faster and faster. This formed our solar system, and earth was formed to rotate. Research #6 If a large asteroid the size of mars hits the earth with extreme force, would it change the speed / direction of Earth?

Yes, if the asteroid has enough power when striking earth, it could change the direction of a planet’s axial rotation. When something strikes, earth’s rotation can either speed up or slow down. All of this depends on the conservation of angular momentum. This goes to show that the earth-asteroid system must stay the same unless it has been interfered by external torque (A continuous force that shall stay the same unless external torque has interfered. External torque stops the motion). 

Research #7 How is the goldilocks zone the best zone from The Sun?

The goldilocks zone is the best zone because it is the perfect distance from the Sun's heat. Also we are able to retain water as a liquid. If we are too far, all of the water on earth’s surface will immediately freeze! So if we are too close, all of the water on earth’s surface will evaporate. These incidents will lead to extinction  within  all  living  creatures  and  bacteria.

Research #8  What Would Happen if Earth Rotated Horizontally?

If we rotated horizontally, half of the earth will be facing the sun for several months. This is an advantage to plants and some animals. You may be asking how though, but they help give extra nutrition to babies (specifically animals) so that they can grow faster than normal. But what would happen to us? Well we won't survive very long because our brain is used to sleeping in the dark, and waking up in the morning. But if you are in the hemisphere facing the sun, your brain doesn't produce enough hormone melatonin, which we need to survive. Melatonin helps us sleep, and if we don't sleep, we can't survive. The other side that is not facing the sun will experience extremely cold weather called polar vortex (cold gusts and swirls of wind). So now, all the plants and animals are suffering and dying due to extreme winds colder than any temperature recorded on earth! After 6 months, the southern hemisphere will be facing the sun, melting all of Antarctica's glaciers. This will cause sea levels to rise up by 63 meters. All of the coastal regions will be flooded leaving us with bigger countries and continents.

Research #9  What would happen if the Earth was 10  times its size? How would it be different?

If earth was ten times its size it's gravitational force would be much stronger than our earth. This will make the objects in the atmosphere of the big earth extremely heavy. Things that are very light such as cacao beans and tablespoons of salt will be much heavier than normal, making us feel weaker than normal. Also, we are growing in population, so we need more room to live! Some of you might think that it is a good idea for some people to move to the giant earth, but once they make it there, they might not come back. Yes, the gravitational force will make it hard for them to get out of the atmosphere of giant earth. If they do return they will be a superhuman. This is because everything on the giant earth is much heavier than here, so even if someone from giant earth falls from a high altitude on earth, they won't realize too much of the impact considering their bones are as hard as iron. So, if you are from the giant earth, you will be able to do inhumane things here on regular earth! And since we are so big, other small planets like mars and venus might come and orbit us due to our mass and gravity.

Research #10  What if the Earth's Axial Tilt was Vertical?

We can see that the earth will have the same weather every day, but can we ensure this is good? If our axis was vertical, we would meet a disgraceful fate. This tilt gives us our seasons, and without the earth's tilt, we won't tilt to the plane of earth's axis. This will let the sun's heat flow only throughout the and close to the equator. So as you travel closer to the southern and northern poles, you will experience extremely cold weather conditions that are nearly impossible to survive in! So if I were you, I would rather stay closer to the equator. Weather won't change throughout the year. Since most energy is flowing through the equatorial latitude, the transfer of energy between the poles will be really high leaving us with nothing but an extremely hard and powerful storm. Now, we cannot live in places that were once regular. Yes we would be living on parts of land in which  agriculture can survive. We would have to clear out the area, plant crops and repeat that process with another piece of land. If this occurred right now, there will most likely be a slow mass extinction that would wipe us out. Now our earth is no longer habitable. There could be a food or energy crisis. If you thought that is the worst it can get, you are wrong. Even worse things like diseases will appear. So, we should acknowledge how perfect of a planet we are living on.

Research #11  What if the earth rotated at a 45 degree angle?

Although we can probably survive, it will be really hard.So hard you need enough resources to survive! This is because the weather will get much more intense and worse. Winters will get colder and summers will be warmer. You might be thinking how does this even occur? So you see, the hemisphere facing the sun's heat will obviously collect more sunlight than the other hemisphere. The winters (hemisphere not facing the sun) will collect a lot less sunlight than normal. That is why and how a 45 degree axis will be hard to live and survive in. Research #12 What if the earth randomly started spinning backwards?

If this happens, the sun and moon will set and rise in opposite areas. This occasion will also introduce natural disasters. Floods and tsunamis will take over urban areas. Forests are now patches of arid land. Luckily,  we won't experience this. But if you are curious on what would happen if we started like this, check it out in our next research. All of the information is until 2:30 minutes of the video 

Research #13 What if we started rotating from east to west a  long time ago?

Earth will not be what we are seeing at the moment.We would have a lot more vegetation and earth would have looked very green. Our earth will change its wind directions and currents from the ocean. This will cause many regions to have a different climate condition. The sun's heat is distributed by currents all the way across the globe. They give forests water from dry pieces of land. So all of the atlantics oceanic current would now transfer to the pacific ocean. Now a lot of countries and areas would have a completely different climate than they had before.Also there are many more rainforests to provide a lot of oxygen. But we can't live in this world because of cyanobacteria. Cyanobacteria will let out a lot of oxygen, and considering they are in such a large amount, we won't exist. All information is from 2:30 minutes until the end.

Research #14  What would happen if we spun at the speed of light? 

If we rotated at the speed of light, our poles will shrink in, turning us into a flat disk. Now one day is about .10 seconds! Yes, that's how fast the speed of light is. With this, there would be no time.Our centrifugal force will be so strong ripping and shredding earth's crust, than throwing it into the abyss darkness of the universe. Also our energy and mass will be endless forming our planet into a really small black hole. We will turn into a black hole because black holes are really the only objects in the universe rotating almost at the speed of light. We will have a diameter of only 18mm. We would have been torn and thrown away, or squished with earth. But what if the earth was flat? All information is starting from 6:39 minutes of the video Research #15 What if the Earth was a flat disk?

Long ago, some people and tribes believed that the earth was flat. Now in modern days, we have enough data to figure out the answer to this debate (round earth). But if it were really flat, we would go back to a sphere after a few hours due to gravity. So in order for us to stay flat, we cannot have gravity hanging out with us. Also our atmosphere will fade away with the absence of gravity. Without our atmosphere, catastrophic events like no oxygen and no heat will occur. In the middle though, it is not that bad. Since gravity will only appear to be in the middle of the flat earth, walking further down is harder. For instance, objects that fall down will go straight to the center of earth. Even oceans and bodies of water will go straight to the center of flat earth. Also a flat planet cannot fully generate a magnetic field  resulting in earth, resulting in earth getting fully burnt to a crisp by the deadly radiation of the sun. Even if you are at the center of the flat earth, we will not have daytime and nighttime because of the sun shining at the same surface 24/7. This just shows how lucky we are to live on this round planet.

SUMMARY

This project is about the importance of earth's tilt and the way it is formed to hold life together. My next steps can be thinking about how earth holds biodiversity together, and how it started. The earth's history billions of years ago is quite surprising. Besides that, we can see how the earth's tilt is perfect, and when we saw what would happen if earth's axial tilt was at a different degree angle, it was not welcoming. After realizing how perfect our planet is, I would not take it for granted anymore.

CONCLUSION

As we can see, part of my hypothesis is correct. Although there will not be a direct change in time (clock), there will not be any more seasons due to the Earth not tilted to the plane of its axis. Also, natural climate changes will not occur because the sun’s heat will only flow throughout the center of earth, leaving no heat for the poles.

Data Analysis 

We have seen that the Earth can be disastrous when tilted at another angle. For instance, if the earth were tilted at a 45 degree angle, there would be more extreme weather and climate. Also we went through having a vertical and a horizontal axis, and it is not what you would ever want. We also went through the way the Earth rotates. We know that we rotate at a speed of about  1100 miles per hour (1600 kilometres per hour). With all this information, we can think about how to keep earth this way in this form so we can all stay in a happy world! 

Citations:  What If Earth Loses Its Tilt? | Earth Axis Tilt Explained | The Dr. Binocs  Why is the Earth's axis tilted? - BBC Science Focus What If The EARTH Stopped Spinning? | Space Video | Dr ... Why Can't We Feel The Earth Spinning (Explained) What If The Earth Stopped Orbiting The Sun Why does Earth spin? - Cool Cosmos - Caltech Why Does the Earth Spin? - Children's Museum The Goldilocks Zone - What Is The Habitable Zone? | Space ... What is the habitable zone or “Goldilocks zone”? What If The Earth Spun Sideways On Its Axis What If Earth Were 10 Times Its Size What would happen if Earth wasn't tilted If Earth's axis were tilted by 45 degrees instead of its ... - Brainly What If EARTH Starts Spinning Backward? | Earth | Dr Binocs ... What If Earth Starts Spinning at the Speed of Light? What If Earth Was Flat? | Flat Earth | The Dr Binocs Show ...

We have seen that the Earth can be disastrous when tilted at another angle. For instance, if the earth were tilted at a 45 degree angle, there would be more extreme weather and climate. Also we went through having a vertical and a horizontal axis, and it is not what you would ever want. We also went through the way the Earth rotates. We know that we rotate at a speed of about  1100 miles per hour (1600 kilometres per hour). With all this information, we can think about how to keep earth this way in this form so we can all stay in a happy world!

As we can see, part of my hypothesis is correct. Although there will not be a direct change in time (clock), there will not be any more seasons due to earth not tilted to the plane of its axis. Also, natural climate changes will not occur because the sun’s heat will only flow throughout the center of earth, leaving no heat for the poles.

Citations:  What If Earth Loses Its Tilt? | Earth Axis Tilt Explained | The Dr. Binocs  Why is the Earth's axis tilted? - BBC Science Focus What If The EARTH Stopped Spinning? | Space Video | Dr ... Why Can't We Feel The Earth Spinning (Explained) What If The Earth Stopped Orbiting The Sun Why does Earth spin? - Cool Cosmos - Caltech Why Does the Earth Spin? - Children's Museum The Goldilocks Zone - What Is The Habitable Zone? | Space ... What is the habitable zone or “Goldilocks zone”? What If The Earth Spun Sideways On Its Axis What If Earth Were 10 Times Its Size What would happen if Earth wasn't tilted If Earth's axis were tilted by 45 degrees instead of its ... - Brainly What If EARTH Starts Spinning Backward? | Earth | Dr Binocs ... What If Earth Starts Spinning at the Speed of Light? What If Earth Was Flat? | Flat Earth | The Dr Binocs Show ...

I would like to acknowledge my sister for helping me understand how the science fair works. I would also like to acknowledge my parents who have supported me throughout this research project. And last but not least i would like to aknowledge my aunt who read through my project and helped me with small errors