If we took material like rock from space and got it back to Earth enough times, would Earth grow as a planet?

As the title says. I'm actually thinking about this hard with my friends because everything that's produced on Earth stays on Earth so it doesn't change size, but what if it's not from Earth but it stays on Earth?

https://sh.itjust.works/pictrs/image/4b10eeca-d3fc-4aca-beff-8d9cb61b303a.png

Burninator05 ,

Earth gains 5200 tons each year from dust from space making it to the ground.

It seems like a lot but the Planet weights 65,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 tons.

tobogganablaze ,

I mean yeah. If you add stuff to a ball of stuff it get's bigger.

Currently Earth is actually losing mass at around 55.000 tons per year. (100.000 tons loss due to air escaping to space but gaing around 45.000 tons in dust and meteorties falling on it).

ccunning ,

If “energy equals mass”, shouldn’t we be gaining mass from the sun too 🤔

rockerface ,
@rockerface@lemm.ee avatar

We do. The sun's energy is locked in plants via photosynthesis, which is then processed by herbivores and passed further down the food chain. That energy exists in form of chemical compounds which are then broken down to release it during digestion.

In terms of numbers tho, it's probably a negligible fraction of the Earth's mass

toasteecup ,

add stuff to a ball of stuff it gets bigger

Katamari intensifies

SoonaPaana ,

Not sure what "grow" means here exactly. But yes, the earth's mass will increase.

ljubashin OP ,
@ljubashin@sh.itjust.works avatar

I mean would Earth get bigger in size as a planet.

HikingVet ,

You would need massive amounts of material, but yes, it is possible.

intensely_human ,

You need any nonzero amount of material

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