Life's contribution to Earth's weight and gravity?

In summary, life on Earth has had a small but measurable effect on the gravitational forces on Earth over time, with heavier objects being pulled towards cities and the Moon. Life also emits radiation which offsets some of the gravitational pull of the Earth.
  • #1
NWH
107
0
This is a bit of an odd question, but I was wondering. What kind of contribution would life have made to Earth's overall weight? Also, would a decayed body still weigh the same weight if all of the forms of decay were in a controlled enviroment? I started pondering this the other day when thinking about life growing up, constantly gaining weight as we grow. I also wondered what kind of implications it might have had on Earth and it's gravitational forces over the years.

It's kind of a stupid question, but thanks for any input...
 
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  • #2
All of the mass of a person comes from the earth, so there is no change in mass due to living things.
 
  • #3
NWH said:
This is a bit of an odd question, but I was wondering. What kind of contribution would life have made to Earth's overall weight? Also, would a decayed body still weigh the same weight if all of the forms of decay were in a controlled enviroment? I started pondering this the other day when thinking about life growing up, constantly gaining weight as we grow. I also wondered what kind of implications it might have had on Earth and it's gravitational forces over the years.

It's kind of a stupid question, but thanks for any input...

Contrarily, life makes Earth lighter a little bit because of some spacecraft s plunging into the universe. Except from that, the weight of the Earth is stable no mater life does exitst or not.
 
  • #4
pixel01 said:
Contrarily, life makes Earth lighter a little bit because of some spacecraft s plunging into the universe. Except from that, the weight of the Earth is stable no mater life does exitst or not.

Offset in turn just a tad by scraps from the Moon or comets that we've brought back. (As long as we are considering small effects.) :wink:
 
  • #5
Well, hold up.

People - and animals - tend to concentrate in cities. For instance, there are many more people living in New York, NY than in Middleofnowheretonshire, PA. Also, cities weigh more than farms naturally, as there are more buildings, more cars, etc.

If the distribution of cities isn't symmetric enough, it's entirely possibly that life alters the Earth's gravitational profile in a way which is less random than it would be if non-biological processes were the only motors of change.

As a proof of concept, say that 1% of the Earth's mass makes up what humans can play around with. Say we move all this to one spot on the Earth's surface. Then we will have slightly shifted the center of mass of the Earth.
 
  • #6
pixel01 said:
Contrarily, life makes Earth lighter a little bit because of some spacecraft s plunging into the universe.

And because of the electromagnetic radiation that we're constantly producing, e.g. those "Leave It to Beaver" TV programs that are now about fifty light-years away from us.

Now, there's a "Fermi problem" for you! Estimate the mass equivalent that was radiated away during one such half-hour program. :uhh:
 

1. How does life contribute to the weight of Earth?

Life on Earth has a relatively small impact on the weight of the planet. The combined weight of all living organisms, including humans, animals, and plants, is estimated to be about 0.2% of Earth's total weight. This is because the majority of Earth's weight comes from its core, mantle, and crust.

2. Does the mass of living organisms affect Earth's gravity?

Yes, the mass of living organisms does have a small effect on Earth's gravity. However, this effect is negligible compared to the gravity produced by Earth's overall mass. The gravitational pull of Earth is primarily determined by its size and density, not the mass of living organisms.

3. How does the decomposition of organisms affect Earth's weight and gravity?

The decomposition of organisms does not have a significant impact on Earth's weight or gravity. Although decomposing organisms release gases and nutrients into the atmosphere and soil, these changes are small compared to the overall weight and gravity of the planet.

4. Are there any living organisms that can significantly affect Earth's weight and gravity?

No, there are no known living organisms that can significantly affect Earth's weight and gravity. Even the largest animals, such as elephants and whales, have a minimal impact on the planet's overall weight and gravity.

5. Can changes in the population of living organisms affect Earth's weight and gravity?

Changes in the population of living organisms can have a small effect on Earth's weight and gravity, but this effect is not significant in the grand scheme of things. For example, if the human population were to suddenly double, the added weight would be only a tiny fraction of Earth's total weight. Similarly, a decrease in population would have a minimal impact on Earth's weight and gravity.

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