earth is rotating at a speed of about 1100 miles per hour. If our planet suddenly stopped rotating the atmosphere would still be in motion at that speed. The atmosphere would be moving so fast it would literally pick up the land masses that are not anchored to bedrock, this would mean rocks, soil, trees, buildings, people and animals. All would be swept up into the atmosphere. Also one side of the earth will always be covered in darkness whilst the other is facing the sun. What if it slowly decreased speed? Would a non rotating earth be able to maintain it's atmosphere and magnetic field?