Does the Earth's Mass Change Due to Biological Processes?

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In summary: Earth. Trees, plants, and animals growing and dying, as well as humans consuming and defecating, have no effect on the mass. The most significant factor that could change the Earth's mass is the accretion of bits and pieces from space, but even this is still negligible in the grand scheme of things. The mass of our deep space probes, while more significant, is still not enough to significantly change the Earth's mass. Overall, the Earth's mass can be considered constant for practical purposes.
  • #36
DaveC426913 said:
Ah. I see what he did there.

The Earth's weight is determined by the Sun's gravity. Sun's mass is shrinking, so Earth's weight is shrinking
But since the Earth is following a free-fall trajectory, it is technically weightless.
 
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  • #37
Janus said:
a free-fall trajectory,
An expanding/growing free-fall trajectory; i.e., the force exerted by the sun is decreasing, so, technically less than weightless.
 
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  • #38
Bystander said:
An expanding/growing free-fall trajectory; i.e., the force exerted by the sun is decreasing, so, technically less than weightless.

Oohhh! I like that. It's drifting up. It must be less than weightless! Ok, I don't think that's going in the textbooks anytime soon, but it's funny.
 
  • #39
Bystander said:
Less attractive force between the Earth and the sun.

DaveC426913 said:
The Earth's weight is determined by the Sun's gravity. Sun's mass is shrinking, so Earth's weight is shrinking

That mite affect the weight of the Earth but it doesn't affect the mass of the earth

and since the OP is talking about the MASS of the Earth ... it's weight in any gravity field is irrelevant
particularly in an orbit

hence Janus's response
Janus said:
But since the Earth is following a free-fall trajectory, it is technically weightless.
 
  • #40
As per my knowledge, having more people or trees doesn't add any mass to the planet. Humans and things are done with the matter that is already on the planet. It's just been transformed.
 

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