From above the North Pole, Earth's rotation appears to move in which direction?

From above the North Pole, Earth's rotation appears to move in which direction?

• A. Counterclockwise
• B. Clockwise
• C. Eastward
• D. Westward

Answer: (A)

The main idea is how rotation is perceived from a specific viewpoint. Earth spins toward the east, which is why the Sun rises in the east and moves across the sky to the west. If you could hover above the North Pole and watch the ground rotate around you, the motion would appear to circle the pole in a counterclockwise direction. That is why the correct description is counterclockwise. From the same vantage, the stars and Sun still rise in the east and set in the west, but their circular paths around Polaris follow a counterclockwise sweep.

The main idea is how rotation is perceived from a specific viewpoint. Earth spins toward the east, which is why the Sun rises in the east and moves across the sky to the west. If you could hover above the North Pole and watch the ground rotate around you, the motion would appear to circle the pole in a counterclockwise direction. That is why the correct description is counterclockwise. From the same vantage, the stars and Sun still rise in the east and set in the west, but their circular paths around Polaris follow a counterclockwise sweep.