Is or can gravitational force become cumulative?

[docpeter1953]

Ok here is what I am wondering, gee I wish I had more than one year of pre-professional physics.

I was considering the phenomenon of planetary alignment that will occur on or about 12/21/2012. As I understand it, all the planets in our solar system will become aligned in an almost straight line, also on or about this same date, the Earth will passing through a the plane of the Milky Way as it oscillates toward the other side of the plane. (If I am wrong about this please feel free to correct me.)

I am wondering if and when these phenomenon occur will there be a cumulative increase/decrease in gravitational force on the Earth and planets?

I understand equal and opposite forces interacting with each other, but could/would say the gravitational force of Jupiter, Saturn and the other planets further from the sun add their gravitational pull on the earth, mars, and venus and possibly alter the orbit or rotation of the earth?

Is this possibly why, as we approach 2012, we seem to be experiencing an increase in the numbers of earthquakes? Or does it just seem to me that we are getting increased geological/seismic activity due to the speed at which we can report seismic activity around the world?

 

[bp_psy]

Everything in your post is nonsense and i think against the forum rules.

As for gravitational force being "cumulative". It is, in the sense that if you have a object attracted by many objects the net force on that object is the vector sum of those attractions.

 

[xxChrisxx]

Sounds crackpot-ish to me.

 

[arildno]

1. "I am wondering if and when these phenomenon occur will there be a cumulative increase/decrease in gravitational force on the Earth and planets? "

IF such an alignment occurs, yes certainly, the outer planet's gravitational forces on Earth will add up to an abnormal extent.

2. "
the gravitational force of Jupiter, Saturn and the other planets further from the sun add their gravitational pull on the earth, mars, and venus "
Yes.

3. "and possibly alter the orbit or rotation of the earth?"
Not to any noticeable extent.

4. "Is this possibly why, as we approach 2012, we seem to be experiencing an increase in the numbers of earthquakes?"
No.

5. "Or does it just seem to me that we are getting increased geological/seismic activity due to the speed at which we can report seismic activity around the world? "
Possibly.
Alternatively, the frequency of earthquakes is non-uniform from local causes, and we might be experiencing an increase (or decrease or constancy) in the frequency just now.

 

[nicksauce]

If you hear anything relating to 2012, it is bull, plain and simple.

 

[russ_watters]

These guys are correct - essentially nothing about that post was true (no planetary alignment, no galactic plane alignment) , and discussing the subject here is banned in an effort to keep the crackpottery to a minimum here.

One thing that has a hint of truth, though, is that when bodies align, tidal forces are added. But the only objects that have a noticeable effect on the tides on Earth are the sun and moon. That's discussed at the bottom of the page here: http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/HBASE/tide.html