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

[jbriggs444]

Cutter Ketch,

Yesterday you brought up an interesting point. Mass convert to Energy. But this morning I ask myself " if it's true, why not the Earth convert to energy as well?

As others have said, mass-energy equivalence is a drop in the bucket -- irrelevant for this purpose.

What do you mean by "earth convert to energy"?

 

[mfb]

Mass cannot suddenly disappear. Chemical and nuclear reactions release a tiny fraction of the mass of the involved atoms as energy. Most of the possible reactions happened in the past already.

 

[davenn]

"Does Earth mass get heavier?"
"Heavier" implies "weight," or force. Should we examine the implication? Given that the sun is losing mass at 1.5 million tons per second, the Earth should be losing "weight."

what is your reasoning there ??

 

[Bystander]

what is your reasoning there ??

Less attractive force between the Earth and the sun.

 

[DaveC426913]

Less attractive force between the Earth and the sun.

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

 

[Janus]

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.

 

[Bystander]

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.

 

[Cutter Ketch]

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.

 

[davenn]

Less attractive force between the Earth and the sun.

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

But since the Earth is following a free-fall trajectory, it is technically weightless.

 

[Chadi B Ghaith]

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.