Is weight of earth is decreasing?

In summary, the weight of the Earth is approximately 6 x 10^24 kilograms and it is constantly changing due to factors such as the Earth's orbit and the influx of matter from meteorites and sunlight. While burning matter does release a small amount of mass, it is insignificant compared to the overall mass of the Earth. It is important to note that weight and mass are not the same thing, with weight being the force experienced by a mass in gravity and mass being a measure of energy.
  • #1
gopu rakshith
5
0
weight of earth?

can anyone tell me the weight of earth?
 
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  • #2
welcome to pf!

hi gopu rakgarbageh! welcome to pf! :smile:
gopu rakgarbageh said:
can anyone tell me the weight of earth?

do you mean the mass?

if so, try wikipedia :wink:
 
  • #3


6,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 kilograms.
 
  • #4


The weight of the Earth, as measured relative to the Sun, is of variable magnitude, because the Earth's orbit about the Sun is an ellipse.
:smile:
 
  • #5
weight of Earth is 6 x 10^24 kgs,we are burning matter,launching rockets,by this the weight of Earth must decrease,is it right or wrong?
 
  • #6


thank you
 
  • #7
Wrong.
 
  • #8
gopu rakgarbageh said:
weight of Earth is 6 x 10^24 kgs,we are burning matter,launching rockets,by this the weight of Earth must decrease,is it right or wrong?

Burning stuff doesn't change the mass: we start with fuel and air, and end up with ashes, smoke, and exhaust gases with the same mass.

Launching things into space at greater than escape velocity reduces the mass of the earth, but that effect is completely insignificant and unmeasurable. 6x1024 is a really big number.

There is a steady drizzle of infalling matter (small meteorites, random dust, the occasional much larger meteorite) that increases the Earth's mass. Again, the effect is pretty much insignificant.
 
  • #9
Burning stuff does release a small amount of mass if some of the released energy escapes the Earth. The exothermic reaction gives off a certain amount of energy from the binding energy of the reactants. This energy has mass. But Earth is getting heavier because meteorites and sunlight itself is landing on the Earth. Some fraction of sunlight energy is converted into chemical binding energy in plants... essentially the opposite of burning them.
 
  • #10


I want to make sure you understand that weight and mass are NOT the same thing. Do you know the difference?
 
  • #11
Sure. Weight is the force that a mass feels in gravity. Mass is just energy (divided by c^2).
 

1. Is the weight of the Earth actually decreasing?

Yes, the weight of the Earth is decreasing, but it is a very slow process that is difficult to measure. It is estimated that the Earth loses approximately 50,000 tons of mass every year.

2. What causes the weight of the Earth to decrease?

The main cause of the Earth's weight decreasing is due to the escape of gases and particles from the atmosphere into space. This includes gases like hydrogen and helium, as well as particles from the solar wind.

3. What impact does the decrease in weight have on the Earth?

The decrease in weight has a very minimal impact on the Earth. The loss of mass is so small that it does not significantly affect the Earth's overall size or gravitational pull.

4. Will the Earth eventually lose all of its weight?

No, the Earth will not lose all of its weight. While the Earth is losing mass, it is also gaining mass from other sources, such as meteorites and cosmic dust. This helps to balance out the loss of mass from the atmosphere.

5. Can the decrease in the Earth's weight have any negative effects on life?

No, the decrease in the Earth's weight does not have any negative effects on life. As mentioned, the loss of mass is minimal and does not significantly impact the Earth's size or gravitational pull. Life on Earth will continue as normal.

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