In our solar system if one planet was knocked out of orbit would it affect the orbits of other planets?

Answer 1

Yes it would, but the effect would be minor.

The Earth's orbit around the Sun is generally elliptical, but there are perturbations. When Jupiter or Saturn (or both, or any other planet further away from the Sun than the Earth) are on the same side of the Sun as the Earth, their gravitational force counteracts that of the Sun, raising the Earth's orbit slightly. When they are on the opposite side of the Sun, their gravitational force adds to the Sun's, lowering the Earth's orbit slightly.

Losing an outer planet eliminates the orbital perturbations caused by that planet.

Edit: AZ Imagine claimed a person standing next to you would exert a stronger gravitational force on you than Jupiter would. That's possibly true, but a little vague about exactly how close your neighbor is.

At it's closest, Jupiter exerts a force of 2.406 x 10^-5 N on you. At it's furthest (when it's on the opposite side of the Sun), it exerts a force of 1.104 x 10^-5 N on you. (This assumes you are a person with 75 kg mass, or around 150 lb)

(6.673 x 10^-11 m^3/[kg sec^2])(1.9 x 10^27 kg)(75 kg)/(7.783 x 10^11m - 1.496 x 10^11 m)^2 when Jupiter and Earth are on the same side of the Sun ....

(6.673 x 10^-11 m^3/[kg sec^2])(1.9 x 10^27 kg)(75 kg)/(7.783 x 10^11m + 1.496 x 10^11 m)^2 when Jupiter and Earth are on opposite sides of the Sun.

If your friend (who is also 75 kg) is one meter away from you (about 3 feet), he exerts a gravitational force on you of 3.75 x 10^-7 N on you. Even at it's furthest distance from Earth, Jupiter exerts over 29 times more force on you than your neighbor.

In order to match Jupiter's gravitational force on you when Earth and Jupiter are closest to each other, the center of mass of you and your friend have to be within 12.5 cm of each other (about 5 inches apart). Considering that's the distance between your center of masses and not the distance between your flesh, I would hope the attraction between you was due to more than just gravity.

(6.673 x 10^-11 m^3/[kg sec^2])(75 kg)(75 kg)/2.406 x 10^-5 N = d^2

Regardless of the details (which was just fun to do), his main point is still true. Jupiter has only a slight effect on Earth's orbit. Eliminating Jupiter would eliminate the effect of Jupiter, not increase the perturbations in the Earth's orbit.

Answer 2

Consider the orbits of the planets in the solar system to be in a state of equilibrium. If this is upset by removing one planet, the others would be affected in a way that would make them settle into a new equilibrium. Depending on which planet is removed, the effect on the Earth would either make it get nearer or further from the sun. In which case, the weather will be altered and humans may not survive the change. The Earth could freeze or burn. There could be other effects too, but the weather change is easier to visualize.

Answer 3

Yes, it would. And it would affect Earth most drastically. Because each planet in our solar system uses the gravity of the sun for it's consistent orbit. Our sun has a slight rocking motion to ensure all the orbits of each planet since the begining of time. Once a planet looses orbit, the reciprocation of the sun's gravitational pull for oribt is disturbed, thus knocking other's orbits. Scientists have gathered if the Earth was as little as 100 miles closer to the sun, the light and heat would burn up all water and living things. 100 miles further, would freeze things over-night. So yes, it would.

Experiment. Have two friends in hand and have them spin around you in a circle very fast and with a tight grip. then one of them without warning let go. See what happens. It's of the same theory, but see as we are not orbs, it's not exact.

Answer 4

As usual, this is the kind of question that brings out the ignorant masses in droves.

You could remove every single planet in the solar system except the Earth & Moon and it would have virtually no effect on our planet. Possibly there would be a tiny effect on the tides that could be measured but that's about it. Most people are completely clueless regarding the vast distances in space, even within our solar system....and how quickly the gravitational effects drop off with said vast distances. The fact of the matter is that a person standing next to you has more gravitational influence than the planet Jupiter does...precisely because that person is so close to you compared to the vast distance of Jupiter.

Now, knock the moon out of its orbit around the Earth and you may, over a long time period, see some devastating consequences, though nothing immediate would happen...assuming the moon was knocked *away* from the Earth. The most immediate effect would be the cessation of tides caused by the moon. Over time, it could destabilize the tilt of the Earth's axis (and that could have major impacts on the climate)...but it's not like we'd suddenly go careening off helter skelter.

It may seem like common sense to some people that there would be devastating effects of your hypothesis...but many people's common sense bears little resemblence to reality.

Answer 5

Yes. The pull of Gravity would be altered, cousing shifts. Even a few inches movement would dramticly effect the planets, includign life on Earth.

There is a theory that the Astroid belt was created due to the pull of the Sun and Jupiter, cruching another planet to peices. S think about that when youy look at the relationships. Everyting must have a reatcion.

Answer 6

In fact stars and their planets orbit each other's common centre of gravity, so the planet would affect the sun, even if only slightly. The real threat would come if the planet struck the asteriod belt or broke up, and material cut across Earth's orbit.

Answer 7

yes, ecspecially the planets around it, or if it was one of the gas giants since there gravitational pull is so large. the gravitational pull is why none of the orbits of the planets are circular, there elliptical. the larger planets, with greater gravitational pull, effect the other planets to make there orbit elliptcal. this stops the planets from floating off into space.. so lets not hope that one of the planets gets knocked out of orbit

Answer 8

it would depend largely on which planet it was but the answer is yes. If an object has mass then it feels a force between other objects with mass. If one is moved or removed all together then the equilibrium is changed, so the planets will adjust their orbits to counteract this shift.

Answer 9

YES.

The lack of or increase of a gravitational presence will have an affect on the other orbiting bodies.

Answer 10

yes

it may only be slightest little bit, but it wouuld affect the orbit of all the other planets in the solar system.