If Mars was to be destroyed, would it have any effect on Earth?

Question

If the Moon was destroyed, Earth's tides and such would be affected. Would the destruction of Mars have any disastrous effect on us?

Answer 1

There are a couple of consequences. Short term, if Mars was destroyed, you could expect that the inner solar system would be filled with debris; and that that debris would be chunks of rocks, some miles in length. Much of that debris would enter Earth's orbit. Most likely, for 10's or 100's of thousands of years, Earth would be bombarded by chunks of Mars as big or bigger than the rock that took out the dinosaurs. Most likely, all life bigger than a microbe would be destroyed by the continuous, monstrous impacts.

(In fact, something similar happened to Mercury - early in the solar system's history Mercury was about 2.5 times larger than it is today. Another proto-planet smacked it head-on, and took off all the outer layers, leaving the core and some mantle rock, which is what remains of Mercury. Of the rest, about half fell into the sun, the other half rained down on Venus and Earth. There's an estimate that about 100 billion billion tons of Mercury are part of the Earth now)

Second, as someone else pointed out, the Planets do affect each others orbits. It is possible over millions or 10's of millions of years, the Earth may move further and further from the sun, killing whatever thingies survived the bombardment of Mars debris.

Answer 2

You have to understand the scale of the solar system. The moon is less than 1/2 mil miles away from the Earth. Most of the time the orbit of Mars is further away than the Sun- (93 Mil Miles). Even at it closest pass to to earth the answer is no!

Answer 3

If Mars was to be destroyed, the orbit of the planets in Solar System will be affected. Other planets' gravity, sun's gravity and moon's gravity uniquely shaped the orbit like what is it like now. If one of the planets is to be destroyed, the orbits will be altered and this might lead to unusual climate on Earth, maybe even destruction.

For example, the scientists found out that there might be another force acting on Saturn to shape its orbit besides the known 5 planets before Saturn and the Sun itself. By calculation, they found the 7th planet - Uranus.

Answer 4

At some time past the form, we would get an remarkable meteor bathe or 2, yet Mars might ordinarily reform itself albeit plenty smaller. The gravitational results of Mars on the earth is virtually nil, so if it have been to vanish thoroughly, it could have not any result, and Jupiter might swallow most of the debris

Answer 5

definitaly it will badly affect the earth.
everything in the universe are related to each other. if in earth ozone layer has a hole in one pole , it has a affect also on the whole world . in the same way earth cant be disaffected by any major change occur in the solar system.
it will disturb the whole organisation of solar system including gravity, attraction forces between planets and sun and also may cause the danger of destruction of whole solar system, because everything is as like a chain ,if one is broken , the whole chain will be disturb.

Answer 6

The effect may be small but the loss of any planet may effect the earths orbit around the sun slightly. Also one of the benefits of the out planets is that they and there gravitational fields shield us somewhat from large meteors and other things that could impact the earth.

Answer 7

I think that since Mars follows an orbit independent of us, most of the time, Mars is not near us even though it is closest by orbit. I dont think it would have much impact. Plus, the moon is extremely close in comparision to distance of mars to earth.

Answer 8

yes if mars would be destroyed it would have effct on us but not of ocean currents and tides but the parts of mars would dash with earth and this would cause a destruction of shelter and humanlife. that's all
byeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Answer 9

Honestly Tazzu! Are you planning something sinister again!

I thought you would have learned your lesson after years of imprisonment by the League of Justice.

Don't make me take your powers again using my sphere of tidal control.

Somewhat Concerned,

Special Raoul

PS: I like your new utility belt

Answer 10

Tons of flying debris = many asteroids taking pot shots at the Earth.