What would be the effect if we were able to transfer enough materials from Earth to another planet, like the Moon, to support a great number of people? As well as increased population.
What would be the effect if we transferred metals, concrete, etc. from earth to the Moon?
Would that transfer of material and people affect Earth and have an opposite effect on the
Moon, or any other planet?
Would the addition or substraction of weight affect the gravity of either?
2006-08-27 01:38:34 · 8 answers · asked by ed 7 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Lets not forget that nothing we have built on Earth is an addition to Earth. It has always been here in another form.
The only thing that has increased is the population.
2006-08-27 01:54:33 · update #1
"Obviously purely hypothetical"
There would have to be an "Eden" type project first. This would determine if we could sustain ourselves on the moon. Also It would have to placed at the dark side of the moon if that is where ice is found (unless the ice is transported to the home base). That area is extremely cold, so energy would have to be created (maybe solar energy transported to the base and to the ice/water transportation device).
Weightlessness of the building would have to be counteracted by deep drilling and pinning.
This kind of life would be the forefront of scientific ability, yet at the same time, be made very basic and simple if it is to be successful at any degree.
The earths mass has changed- not that we'd notice- as asteroids and meteors have been collecting hear since the earths appearance. So i doubt that we would affect its balance.
2006-08-27 05:27:21 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
I don't think there will be a population problem on Earth for quite some time. The only reason to live on another planet is either for research or new resources. The reason for living on the moon would be to have better use of telescopes and observing the universe.
I think concrete would have to be re-engineered due to our standards being set for 1G of gravity.
The gravity on Earthy and the moon isn't determined by all the materials on it.
2006-08-27 01:52:34 · answer #2 · answered by aplusjimages 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
it wouldn't affect either significantly, since earth hass a radius of about 6000 km and we have difficulties building things bigger than 1km tall... so, we're only scrubbing the surface of earth... it wouldn't change the gravitational field a lot. But yes, it would change earth's gravitational field a bit... But really, it wouldn't change it significantly.
But what you suggest is impossible since it would require a enrormous amount of energy to send ALL the supplies for a colony from earth.
In the case of an extra-terrestrial colony, most of the building materials will be found on the colonized planet. No more than a few thousand tons of equipement could be send from earth (costs way too much to send more. And that's already a lot)
2006-08-27 01:46:59 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Boosting mass from a gravity well is not an economical way to expand. You use materials on site to create building materials as much as is possible. People are mass also. better to breed them on site too. Earth population has to be reduced here or we will never be able to spare the resources necessary to put some of our eggs in off planet baskets.
2006-08-27 03:41:47 · answer #4 · answered by iknowtruthismine 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I really don't think that the subtraction of weight from the earth will really affect the earth in any way. These materials that you are referring to only constitute a very very very small percentage of the earths weight. Remember, we are only getting these materials from the crust of the earth, and if you remember your geology lessons properly, the crust of the earth is very very very thin as compared to the other layers of the earth like the mantle, the core, etc.
2006-08-27 01:48:17 · answer #5 · answered by hvrio 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I don't think if you transferred all the man-made structures / materials to the Moon that it would ever effect it's gravity. Same as the Earth, if all of mankind and it's works suddenly vanished, the effect on Earth's gravity would be negligible if any.
2006-08-27 01:43:51 · answer #6 · answered by roamin70 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
The Chinese are doing that now. Top Secret.
2006-08-27 01:50:34 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
would we have magnetic poles in a different location, what effect woiuld that have
2006-08-28 03:01:57 · answer #8 · answered by shotgunsherriffs 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋