Ok, here it is. We have all learned or will learn that the earth rotates on it's axis. Now considering that scientists have noticed that the earth wobbles on this axis, is it possible that overpopulation in countries like China, the Unitied States and perhaps India are causing the wobble because of the added weight of the extra people and all the stuff they accumulate in that particular place? Yes I know this is a weird question but hey, I had to ask!
2007-02-01 10:06:16 · 10 answers · asked by Ole Charlie 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Earth Sciences & Geology
Interesting question, but it has an easy answer... No, the weight of humans has absolutely no effect on the total weight of the earth (this is because all the matter that makes up our bodies was already on earth before it became part of our bodies) - and is really insignificant when compared to the total mass of the earth (in fact, if you had a balance and one one side put every human on earth, and on the other side put every ant on earth - the ants would weigh more than the humans).
It is not known exactly why the Earth (and other planets) wobble on their axis. The best theory for why Earth's rotational axis is tilted is that the planet collided with a Mars sized object (often called Thea) about 4.5 billion years ago - this collision spread the debris that later formed our moon. Ironically it is our moon that keeps our rotational axis in the same spot... Without it, it is very possible that our rotational axis would wander all over the place (like Mars). Still, it is not known what causes planets' rotational axis to wander.
What I can say for sure - is that there is no "added weight" from overpopulation, and even if there was it would be totally insignificant on a planetary scale. So the answer to your question is no.
2007-02-01 10:22:15 · answer #1 · answered by brooks b 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Thin Kaboutit had it right, except that the average weight of a human is more like 50 Kgs (lots of babies, kids and small people). The Earth is 20 TRILLION times the mass of all the people combined. We are absolutely negligable in relation to the mass of the Earth, about like fleas being able to knock down Everest.
The following creatures weigh more than humanity:
Ants
Termites
Coral
Plankton
Bacteria
We can blame the Chinese for some things, but definitely not for tipping up the world.
Also, the accumulation of material is from the Earth itself.
I suggest you get away from the city more and see how empty the Earth is, apart from the fact 70% is ocean, and that a million time the mass of the biosphere is solid matter under our feet, with an iron core bigger than the moon.
2007-02-01 11:26:01 · answer #2 · answered by nick s 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The mass of the planet Earth is about 5.97 * 10^24 kilograms
There are about 6 billion people on earth, which an average mass of, say, 100kg.
So the mass of all the people accounts for a fraction of the mass of the Earth PLUS its people by a difference of at least 16 orders of magnitude (10^7 to 10^24), or about equal to the impact of having a smudge of mustard on your lip after eating a hot dog!
Do you wobble after eating a hot dog? LOL
Great question, though. It is through formulating and trying to answer these types of questions that neat and important things occur to people!
2007-02-01 10:19:05 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The Universe is infinite. that for the period of itself grants the theory that each ingredient is accessible. If sufficient of the heavier inner image voltaic device factors that formed say mercury, venus the earth (and moon), mars and the asteroid belt had formed orbits that collided to type one planet relatively than take interior the debris that ultimately formed the image voltaic device we've, then a planet the size you describe may well be accessible. For it to have a moon, which may well be had to creating it earth like, and settle in an orbit a methods sufficient from the image voltaic with a rotation to grant the marvelous quantity of sunshine and heat temperature to enable the merchandising of moving water and existence to exist is decrease back accessible as is something in an infinite universe, yet much less probably to ensue than the potential for the marvelous sized planet to exist.
2016-12-13 06:32:01 · answer #4 · answered by jeniffer 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it is a good question, but the mass of human weight was already on the planet before we came around...so that has no effect. it wobbles for another reason, i haven't a clue what it is though, but i don't think it is harmful, afterall it has been doing it for eons.
2007-02-01 11:14:49 · answer #5 · answered by captsnuf 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no it is the movement of the earth natural stuff i.e. crust, earthquakes.
p.s. when it wobbles it is called precision and the earth goes to the exact same spot every 26,000 years
2007-02-01 10:10:41 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would highly doubt that the weight of people, whether or not their are billions of them, is relevant to the massive weight and mass of things like mountains and the oceans.
2007-02-01 10:14:52 · answer #7 · answered by What? 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, becouse on the other side are The Rocky Montains. :)
2007-02-01 10:14:52 · answer #8 · answered by Madalin 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, haha, that's not the problem
2007-02-01 10:13:52 · answer #9 · answered by SteakSalad101 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, it's not possible.
2007-02-01 10:14:16 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋