Thread: I have a theory... (agree/disagree)

Could anyone tell me if this even makes sense?...


My theory... That the earth is VERY slowly growing in size (like volume)
Cause if a tree grows and biodegrates... it turns into say a 1' x 1' x 1' box of soil... and when volcanos erupt they produced PLENTY of rock... and so... would that make sense?

well, if a tree burns its mass is just transferred into air. and all valcanic rock comes from the center of the earth. but for another reason, your theory is correct. the earth is slowly growing because cosmic dust adds about 6 million pounds each year.

HORAH i am correct!

partly, but it was very foolish to think matter just... dissapeared and reapeared.

I believe that there are scientists who are working with some sort of evidence regarding your theory. That is - your theory is also the theory of other scientists.

... well that is interesting...hmm... anyway... if we are growing... in theory(again) could either we #1get to much on one side/part of the earth and throw of the rotation? or #2 make it so much closer to the sun that it would get TOO hot to live on earth...??? make sense?

the earth is "growing" at a neglible rate. growth is just rearanging existing particles to make life. the only reason the earth is growing in size is the 6 million pounds of cosmic dust piling up each year. and the earth weighs in at 5.972 sextillion pounds, or 5,972,000,000,000,000,000,000. every year the earth gains only one 9953333333333333.3333th of its original size. by the time the earth even gains 25%, oil reserves would be depleted, and the human race would have either evolved or been extinct due to global warming or something similar to the dino extinction.

Sources:
http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/stories/s122885.htm
Popular Science Magazine

You also need to factor in the loss of atmosphere at the margins of space due to thermal excitation and erosion by the solar wind.

Originally Posted by Ophiolite

You also need to factor in the loss of atmosphere at the margins of space due to thermal excitation and erosion by the solar wind.

can we consider this part of earth?

Originally Posted by chamilton333

Originally Posted by Ophiolite

You also need to factor in the loss of atmosphere at the margins of space due to thermal excitation and erosion by the solar wind.

can we consider this part of earth?

I'd say yes... as well as the hydrosphere and troposphere are part of the earth, the atmosphere is likely to be part of it too. The composition is different (gas) but it provides certain mass to the total.

woooooow...

Originally Posted by chamilton333

can we consider this part of earth?

Yes. It is gravitationally bound to the Earth and is contiguous with it. Morevoer the components of the atmosphere cycle through the hydrosphere and the lithosphere over time.

Originally Posted by Ophiolite

Originally Posted by chamilton333

can we consider this part of earth?

Yes. It is gravitationally bound to the Earth and is contiguous with it. Morevoer the components of the atmosphere cycle through the hydrosphere and the lithosphere over time.

then where does earth end? at the 69.5 mile marker that marks the edge of the atmosphere?

Remember that where the Earth ends is an artificial concept, an artifact of the human need to classify and describe. The 100km limit is as good as any. (Recall that the US used to issue astronaut wings to X-15 pilots who went above fifty miles.) Or, it would be equally proper to declare it ends at the surface of the geoid.

Material added to the surface of the earth through volcanoes and mid ocean ridges is simply relocating material, not adding mass. Many people make the same mistake when they learn about sea floor spreading. The Atlantic Ocean is getting larger but the Pacific is getting smaller. You have to conside the amount of lithosphere being subducted. In a similar manor biological activity just recycles material without adding to "the size" of the earth.

As for cosmic dust I guess we need to reduce that by the amount of material we launch into space. Although much of that eventually returns to earth when their orbits decay.

Originally Posted by roadstar

Material added to the surface of the earth through volcanoes and mid ocean ridges is simply relocating material, not adding mass. Many people make the same mistake when they learn about sea floor spreading. The Atlantic Ocean is getting larger but the Pacific is getting smaller. You have to conside the amount of lithosphere being subducted. In a similar manor biological activity just recycles material without adding to "the size" of the earth.

As for cosmic dust I guess we need to reduce that by the amount of material we launch into space. Although much of that eventually returns to earth when their orbits decay.

You're right, but I think the question is about earth getting bigger, not more massive, if the expelled material is relocating outside. I'm not sure if that happens at all, but just making sure we get right the question...

Originally Posted by shortanort

HORAH i am correct!

to a degree. Volcanic eruption only uses what it has, it doesn't make more.