Rotation vs. Revolution: Know the Difference
By Shumaila Saeed || Updated on December 25, 2023
Rotation is the act of an object turning around its own axis, while revolution is the movement of one object around another in an orbital path.
Key Differences
Rotation refers to an object spinning on its own axis, like the Earth rotating daily. Revolution describes an object's orbital motion around another body, such as the Earth's yearly revolution around the Sun.
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The rotation of a planet causes day and night cycles due to the planet's spinning. In contrast, the revolution of a planet around a star leads to the changing of seasons over the year.
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Rotation is an inward-focused movement, where an object turns around its central point. Revolution involves an outward trajectory, with an object traveling along an orbital path around another body.
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A rotation completes in a relatively short period, as seen in a day on Earth. A revolution takes longer, exemplified by a year-long journey of Earth around the Sun.
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The speed of rotation can affect an object's shape due to centrifugal forces. The path of a revolution, elliptical or circular, depends on gravitational forces between the revolving objects.
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Comparison Chart
Direction of Movement
Inward, around its own center
Outward, along an orbital path
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Resulting Forces
Centrifugal forces due to spinning
Gravitational forces due to orbital motion
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Rotation and Revolution Definitions
Rotation
A cycle of events or duties being regularly rotated.
The rotation of shifts ensures 24-hour coverage in the hospital.
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Revolution
A turnaround or significant change in a situation or attitude.
The technological revolution altered how we communicate and work.
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Rotation
The revolving of a celestial body on its axis.
The rotation of the moon affects its appearance from Earth.
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Revolution
The movement of one body around another in space.
The revolution of the Earth around the Sun takes one year.
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Rotation
The act of turning around a central axis or point.
The rotation of a top is mesmerizing to watch.
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Revolution
A dramatic change in ideas, methods, or governance.
The industrial revolution transformed societies worldwide.
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Rotation
The act or process of turning around a center or an axis
The axial rotation of the earth.
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Revolution
Orbital motion about a point, especially as distinguished from axial rotation
The planetary revolution about the sun.
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Rotation
(Mathematics) A transformation of a coordinate system in which the new axes have a specified angular displacement from their original position while the origin remains fixed.
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Rotation
Regular and uniform variation in a sequence or series
A rotation of personnel.
Crop rotation.
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Revolution
The overthrow of one government and its replacement with another.
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Rotation
The sequence in which the starting pitchers on a team pitch in games.
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Revolution
A sudden or momentous change in a situation
The revolution in computer technology.
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Rotation
The pitchers used in such a sequence
A team with an excellent rotation.
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Revolution
(Geology) A time of major crustal deformation, when folds and faults are formed.
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Rotation
The act of turning around a centre or an axis.
The earth's rotation about its axis is responsible for its being slightly oblate rather than a sphere.
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Revolution
A political upheaval in a government or state characterized by great change.
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Rotation
A single complete cycle around a centre or an axis.
Earth's moon completes a rotation every twenty-seven days or so.
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Revolution
The removal and replacement of a government, especially by sudden violent action.
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Rotation
A regular variation in a sequence, such as to even-out wear, or people taking turns in a task; a duty roster.
Applying crop rotation to a field avoids depleting soil nutrients the way repeated use of a single crop might do.
In rotation, each member of the group would be responsible for the beacon fire.
The medical resident finished a two-week rotation in pediatrics and began one in orthopaedics.
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Revolution
Rotation: the turning of an object around an axis, one complete turn of an object during rotation.
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Rotation
An operation on a metric space that is a continuous isometry and fixes at least one point.
The function mapping (x,y) to (−y,x) is a rotation.
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Revolution
In the case of celestial bodies, the traversal of one body along an orbit around another body.
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Revolution
A sudden, vast change in a situation, a discipline, or the way of thinking and behaving.
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Rotation
(aviation) The step during takeoff when the pilot commands the vehicle to lift the nose wheel off the ground during the takeoff roll. (see also: V2)
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Revolution
A round of periodic changes, such as between the seasons of the year.
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Rotation
Repeated play on a radio station, etc.
The new single enjoyed heavy rotation on MTV.
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Revolution
Consideration of an idea; the act of revolving something in the mind.
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Rotation
The act of turning, as a wheel or a solid body on its axis, as distinguished from the progressive motion of a revolving round another body or a distant point; thus, the daily turning of the earth on its axis is a rotation; its annual motion round the sun is a revolution.
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Revolution
The act of revolving, or turning round on an axis or a center; the motion of a body round a fixed point or line; rotation; as, the revolution of a wheel, of a top, of the earth on its axis, etc.
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Revolution
Return to a point before occupied, or to a point relatively the same; a rolling back; return; as, revolution in an ellipse or spiral.
That fearComes thundering back, with dreadful revolution,On my defenseless head.
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Rotation
Pertaining to, or resulting from, rotation; of the nature of, or characterized by, rotation; as, rotational velocity.
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Revolution
The space measured by the regular return of a revolving body; the period made by the regular recurrence of a measure of time, or by a succession of similar events.
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Rotation
The act of rotating as if on an axis;
The rotation of the dancer kept time with the music
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Revolution
The motion of any body, as a planet or satellite, in a curved line or orbit, until it returns to the same point again, or to a point relatively the same; - designated as the annual, anomalistic, nodical, sidereal, or tropical revolution, according as the point of return or completion has a fixed relation to the year, the anomaly, the nodes, the stars, or the tropics; as, the revolution of the earth about the sun; the revolution of the moon about the earth.
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Rotation
(mathematics) a transformation in which the coordinate axes are rotated by a fixed angle about the origin
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Revolution
The motion of a point, line, or surface about a point or line as its center or axis, in such a manner that a moving point generates a curve, a moving line a surface (called a surface of revolution), and a moving surface a solid (called a solid of revolution); as, the revolution of a right-angled triangle about one of its sides generates a cone; the revolution of a semicircle about the diameter generates a sphere.
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Rotation
A single complete turn (axial or orbital);
The plane made three rotations before it crashed
The revolution of the earth about the sun takes one year
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Revolution
A total or radical change; as, a revolution in one's circumstances or way of living.
The ability . . . of the great philosopher speedily produced a complete revolution throughout the department.
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Rotation
A planned recurrent sequence (of crops or personnel etc.);
Crop rotation makes a balanced demand on the fertility of the soil
The manager had only four starting pitchers in his rotation
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Revolution
A fundamental change in political organization, or in a government or constitution; the overthrow or renunciation of one government, and the substitution of another, by the governed.
The violence of revolutions is generally proportioned to the degree of the maladministration which has produced them.
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Rotation
A complete circular movement around an axis.
The Earth completes a full rotation every 24 hours.
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Revolution
A drastic and far-reaching change in ways of thinking and behaving;
The industrial revolution was also a cultural revolution
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Rotation
The process of something moving in a circular path.
The rotation of the wheel facilitates the bicycle's movement.
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Revolution
A single complete turn (axial or orbital);
The plane made three rotations before it crashed
The revolution of the earth about the sun takes one year
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Revolution
A complete orbit around a point or another object.
The revolution of a satellite around a planet is carefully monitored.
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Revolution
A radical and pervasive change in society and social structure.
The revolution led to significant political and cultural shifts.
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Repeatedly Asked Queries
How does revolution affect the seasons?
Earth's revolution around the Sun causes seasonal changes.
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Is rotation the same for all planets?
No, each planet has its own rotation speed and duration.
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How is a revolution in society different from in space?
In society, it refers to drastic changes, in space, it's an orbital path.
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Are revolution speeds constant?
They can vary based on distance from the object it orbits.
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Can revolution cause eclipses?
Yes, when the Earth and moon align during their revolutions.
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How does revolution relate to timekeeping?
It's used to measure years and longer time periods.
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Does revolution always take a year?
It varies; a year refers to Earth's revolution, other planets differ.
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Can rotation affect a planet's shape?
Yes, rapid rotation can cause an equatorial bulge.
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Can cultural revolutions be peaceful?
Yes, some involve gradual shifts in ideas and practices.
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Can revolutions be predicted in space?
Yes, using laws of physics and astronomy.
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What determines the path of a revolution?
Gravitational forces and the mass of the objects involved.
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How does rotation affect navigation?
It influences compasses and GPS satellite positioning.
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What is the effect of rotation on climate?
It affects daily weather patterns and temperature variations.
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Do all celestial bodies revolve?
Most do, especially those in a system with a larger body.
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Do artificial satellites rotate?
Yes, they rotate to stabilize or orient themselves.
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Is rotation visible from space?
Yes, especially on planets with visible features.
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Is the concept of rotation used in technology?
Yes, in many devices like motors and turbines.
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About Author
Written by
Shumaila SaeedShumaila Saeed, an expert content creator with 6 years of experience, specializes in distilling complex topics into easily digestible comparisons, shining a light on the nuances that both inform and educate readers with clarity and accuracy.
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