Friday, December 18, 2015

newtonian mechanics - Is the distance between the Sun and the Earth increasing?


M = mass of the Sun


m = mass of the Earth


r = distance between the Earth and the Sun


The sun is converting mass into energy by nuclear fusion.


F=GMmr2=mv2rr=GMv2


ΔE=ΔMc2=(MtMt+Δt)c2ΔM=ΔE/c2



ΔrΔt=Gv2c2.ΔEΔt


Sun radiates 3.9×1026 W=ΔE/Δt


Velocity of the earth v=29.8km/s


There is nothing that is stopping the earth from moving with the same velocity so for centripetal force to balance gravitational force r must change.


Is r increasing? (Δr/Δt=3.26070717×1010m/s)



Answer



I think the reasoning has an error. It assumes v is constant, but instead we ought to assume the angular momentum is constant.


By dimensional analysis that leads to


rL2GM


so as M decreases, r increases (the original post had rM, not r1/M.



On the other hand, assuming a circular orbit seems dubious.


As the other commenters said, this effect is minute. A significant effect on the orbit of the moon around the earth is tidal evolution, which does actually push the moon further away.


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