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
Very slightly yes. The heat energy which is held in the Earth from being warmed by the sun does translate, via relativistic effects, to a slightly higher total mass.
But everything which has heat, emits some thermal radiation, and the more heat it has, the more radiation it puts out. So, there’s kind of an equilibrium effect at work. Heating the earth up hotter just makes it glow brighter in the infrared, so the excess heat is lost faster. So it’s not like the extra mass ever really accumulates.
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