i've heard that the moon is moving away from earth. if we add mass by building a base on the moon, will it speed up that process?
2007-06-13 16:11:36 · 10 answers · asked by ßŔŶĄŋ 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
The Moon is in fact moving away from Earth at the rate of 1 1/2 inches per year.
2007-06-13 19:31:30 · answer #1 · answered by harryb 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It's absolutely true that the moon is moving away. This effect can be measured by laser ranging; the moon is receding at a rate of about 1 inch per year. The cause is complicated to explain, but it has to do with the fact that angular momentum is gradually being transferred from the earth to the moon because of the friction of tidal flows.
Building a base on the moon will not speed up that process by any measureable amount. The mass of a moon base would be insignificant compared to the mass of the moving tides.
2007-06-13 16:36:43 · answer #2 · answered by RickB 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
My professor at University of Arizona stated that the moon is moving away at about 4 cm each year which means that since 1776, it has moved away about 924cm (9.24m/30.3ft) away from the Earth. Although 30+ feet is a measurable distance it is not enough to really change anything happening on Earth short term (less than 100,000 years, in which it would only move about 2.5 miles).
The weight of a space station/mining colony would only start to noticeably affect the Moon if we were to remove from and "ship to" Earth about 5% of the Moon. The Moon would be getting lighter and Earth would be getting heavier therefore exert more gravity on a "lighter" Moon.
2007-06-13 17:05:54 · answer #3 · answered by bourqueno77 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Nope. 4.5 billion years ago the moon was formed by the collision of some other object with the Earth. Part of the Earth and part of the object makes up the Moon. It of course was much closer to the Earth but since gravity falls off with distance there was a much stronger pull on the Moon a couple of billion years ago so it was not receding at the same speed as today. Gravitational pull and tidal forces were much stronger the closer the Earth and Moon were.
2016-05-19 22:56:08 · answer #4 · answered by libby 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, it is slowly moving away. No, adding a base won't make a bit of difference - because it won't make a bit of difference to the overall mass of the Moon or the Earth (where the materials came from). It's way to small.
2007-06-13 16:30:55 · answer #5 · answered by eri 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
no. im not sure where but i just heard a question like this...i think in popular science. but because the moon weighs soo much a base weighing only a few tons wouldnt effect the moon enough to do anything
2007-06-13 16:16:45 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
No! Don't believe everything you read on the Internet or hear on the news! The moon is in a stable orbit around Earth; it isn't going any where.
2007-06-13 16:15:20 · answer #7 · answered by Oklahoman 6 · 0⤊ 4⤋
It is moving away and nothing will change that.
2007-06-17 06:55:17 · answer #8 · answered by johnandeileen2000 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Can you blame it, with what's going on here on Earth ???
2007-06-13 16:17:34 · answer #9 · answered by Norrie 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
"they" say it is. I'm not sure I doubt them, but it will take a LONG, LONG time before it MATTERS.
2007-06-13 16:22:15 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋