Is the earth bigger than it was 500 million years ago?

Mikespike | 23:18 Mon 08th May 2006 | Science

6 Answers

Is the earth bigger than it was 500 million years ago? If so how much bigger and would this effect the force of gravity felt on earth?

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Skids

Don't know. Yes it would, the force of gravity is dependant on the mass of the object. All objects have mass, and therefore have gravity.

Skids

Allegedly.

JudgeJ

I don�t know if the earth is bigger or not today than it was in the past, but it does pick up a huge amount of cosmic �dust� every day. On the other side of the equation, no doubt some of the atmosphere is being lost into space, though this is probably minimal.

As to the force of gravity felt, there are two things to consider here. If the earth is bigger buy virtue of having accumulated some mass, then the gravitational force generated by the earth will be greater. However, the effect of this increase on objects on the earth's surface may be offset if the mass has increased the earth�s diameter. This is because the gravitational pull �felt� is dependent not only on the earth�s mass, but also on the distance from its centre to its surface.

If the earth has become bigger simply because it has swollen (and not gained any additional mass) then the surface gravity felt will be less because objects on its surface are further from its centre.

Gravity increases in direct proportions to mass, so the earth would have to gain about 1.3% of its current mass to make a 75kg person �weigh� one kilo more. Gravity decreases by the square of the distance from the centre of a body so my quick calculations suggest that an increase in the earth�s diameter of about 25 miles (with no added mass) will see the same 75kg person �weigh� 1kg less.

gerkin

yes

Hard@it

This may appear ridiculous but if we do not lose anything from the earth,(except the odd space debris), then sureley the reproduction of humans, plants and aninals etc. must add the minutest part to the general size

Hard@it

Sorry ! gravity prob. would not be affected but something must be causing a swing on the axis.

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