Eli5: if Energy and mass are equal and transformable to one another, and if the sun is constantly projecting energy on the earth, why isn’t the earth getting heavier and constantly changing its orbit?

Question

Eli5: if Energy and mass are equal and transformable to one another, and if the sun is constantly projecting energy on the earth, why isn’t the earth getting heavier and constantly changing its orbit?

In: 16

Answer 1

The Earth is getting lighter in fact, but the effect is negligible.

Some estimates show the Earth’s mass is estimated to be losing about 50,000 tons per year, mostly due to a combination of radioactive decay and gases like Hydrogen and Helium escaping into space.

But considering the Earth has a mass of about 5.97 billion trillion metric tons that 50,000 is pretty negligible.

It’s also estimated that the extra heat trapped by Global warming is worth about 160 tons per year.

And Earth gains mass from constant bombardment of tiny asteroids and comets.