This physics question has bugged me since I was around 15 years old.
The sun is constantly giving us energy. Admittedly, a lot of it is being emitted back. But some of it stays on Earth. Does this energy contribute to increase Earth’s mass since E=mC(squared)?
If yes, then I have another question. Once space travel becomes common, will this result in earth losing some of its mass in the form of fuel and rocket parts and travellers on board?
Will these changes in mass result in change in temperature and gravity etc due to change in size of the planet’s core?
In: Physics
It isn’t.
But not for the reason you thjnk, since in the grand scheme of things energy is very diluted, and adds very little to mass compared to matter, and even then earth radiates more energy than it gets from the sun, as it has a secondary energy sources from radioaactive decay in the core, and compression heating.
Earth’s mass is impacted far more by by meteorites falling in, and solar winds slowly tearing away at the uppee atmosphere close to the poles, where the magnetosphere doesn’t protect it.
The end result is a net mass loss, from loss of gas.
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