<p>There is a wonderful <a href="https://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/9290/why-does-the-moon-drift-away-from-earth">post</a> at Physics Stackexchange:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Gravitational coupling between the Moon and the tidal bulge nearest the Moon acts as a torque on the Earth's rotation, draining angular momentum and rotational kinetic energy from the Earth's spin. In turn, angular momentum is added to the Moon's orbit, accelerating it, which lifts the Moon into a higher orbit with a longer period. As a result, the distance between the Earth and Moon is increasing, and the Earth's spin slowing down.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>You can find more reading material and information in the original thread.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-08-27T10:08:31.963Z
2015-08-27T10:20:33.653Z
2017-04-13T12:40:15.377Z
Daniel Lenz
<p>What compensate the energy loss in tidal heating? Is it orbital decay?</p>

<orbit><planet><tidal-forces>
Does tidal heating imply orbit degradation?
Gstestso
# Does tidal heating imply orbit degradation?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-08-27)

What compensate the energy loss in tidal heating? Is it orbital decay?

**Tags:** orbit, planet, tidal-forces


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2015-08-27. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

There is a wonderful [post](https://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/9290/why-does-the-moon-drift-away-from-earth) at Physics Stackexchange:

> Gravitational coupling between the Moon and the tidal bulge nearest the Moon acts as a torque on the Earth's rotation, draining angular momentum and rotational kinetic energy from the Earth's spin. In turn, angular momentum is added to the Moon's orbit, accelerating it, which lifts the Moon into a higher orbit with a longer period. As a result, the distance between the Earth and Moon is increasing, and the Earth's spin slowing down.

You can find more reading material and information in the original thread.


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