Why can we feel earthquakes but not feel the Earth moving through space?

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I know that we cannot feel Earth’s motion because we are moving with it (i.e. riding in a car with closed windows analogy) but why can we feel the forces on Earth like earthquakes? If we are moving with Earth, shouldn’t we “move” with earthquakes (as they are movements in the Earth’s crust) and therefore not be able to feel them?

Please don’t guess the answer. Only answer if you actually know what you’re talking about lol. I feel like I answered my own Q in my explanation but I need someone more knowledgeable to articulate it in simple words. Thanks!

In: Physics

7 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

You don’t feel motion at a constant velocity, but you *do* feel acceleration.

You don’t feel the Earth moving through space because you are moving with it, and you have always been moving with it, and the speed the Earth moves at doesn’t change much.

With an earthquake, on the other, you start of stationary with the ground, and are pushed/accelerated up when the ground moves up from where it used to be. It’s the same reason you feel someone pushing you even if they move with you. Acceleration can be felt.

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