Naked Science Forum

Non Life Sciences => Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology => Topic started by: Lewis Thomson on 26/01/2022 11:17:09

Title: Is the Earth losing mass?
Post by: Lewis Thomson on 26/01/2022 11:17:09
Rida has been puzzled by this question.

"Is the mass of planet earth getting smaller?"

What do you think the answer is? Leave them down in the comments below...
Title: Re: Is the Earth losing mass?
Post by: lunar7 on 16/02/2022 19:35:45
I would have thought Earth is gaining mass due to meteorites landing on Earth.
Title: Re: Is the Earth losing mass?
Post by: evan_au on 17/02/2022 08:39:29
It is a tradeoff between:
- Incoming atoms from the Solar Wind
- Earth's outer atmosphere, which is being swept away by the solar wind
- Incoming dust and meteorites

We can safely ignore the relatively small amount of mass that humans launch into space.
Title: Re: Is the Earth losing mass?
Post by: Eternal Student on 17/02/2022 17:04:44
Hi.

    This question gets discussed fairly often.

This article    https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-16787636     is a reasonable discussion from 2012,  where the main contributing scientist was Chris Smitch* (of the Naked Scientists).

The conclusion there was ... taking into account the gains and the losses, Dr Smith reckons the Earth is getting about 50,000 tonnes lighter a year,

Best Wishes.

LATE EDITING:     *  Dave Ansell  was also a contributor.  Sorry.  I only scanned the article and may have left out more names than just that one.
Title: Re: Is the Earth losing mass?
Post by: Rocky6419 on 22/02/2022 17:33:40
Hi everyone;
           A few years ago, Nasa has calculated that the temperature of the Earth is increasing day by day, due to the increase of temperature mass of the Earth is also increase but not in huge amount.
Title: Re: Is the Earth losing mass?
Post by: Kryptid on 22/02/2022 17:54:27
Quote from: Rocky6419 on 22/02/2022 17:33:40
Hi everyone;
           A few years ago, Nasa has calculated that the temperature of the Earth is increasing day by day, due to the increase of temperature mass of the Earth is also increase but not in huge amount.

Although it's true that heat increases mass because of E=mc2, it's very, very tiny compared to other factors that change the Earth's mass such as atmospheric loss to space and meteorite impacts. Or at least, I'm pretty sure it is. I haven't done the math.