What scales made on earth should be used. How much does the earth weigh? How to calculate the mass of a planet? History of attempts to determine the size of the planet

On average, the Earth weighs about 5.976 sextillion tons. This number contains 21 decimal places - if you visually imagine such a figure, then the number of zeros will charge your eyes! At the same time, determining the mass of the Earth is not as simple as, say, the weight of a watermelon. After all, it is impossible to take and weigh the whole planet on the scales! So how much does the earth weigh? Many centuries passed before scientists found the answer to this question.

Understanding the parameters of the Earth - a bit of history

At the dawn of mankind, there were their own concepts about the size, shape and mass of the Earth. In the view of ancient people, the model of the Earth resembled a hemisphere (“flat plate”), placed on three whales and a huge turtle, standing at the very base of this pyramid of the universe. Alternatively, instead of whales, elephants could act. Be that as it may, in ancient times there was a consensus - the Earth was flat and had its edge.

In the Middle Ages, ideas about the shape and weight of the Earth underwent the first progressive changes. The discoverer of the spherical shape of the Earth was Giordano Bruno, who was sent to the stake of the Inquisition for his beliefs. Another significant contribution to the science of the Earth was made by the world traveler Magellan, who in practice confirmed the theory that the Earth is round.

How much does our Earth weigh - the first discoveries

So, the Earth is a physical body and has certain properties, the main of which is weight. This discovery of medieval scientists gave rise to a number of scientific discoveries and research. How much does the Earth weigh? According to the laws of physics, weight is the force exerted by a body on a support. However, the Earth is not supported in the physical sense. It turns out that the Earth has no weight. But the mass is, and even what!

How much does the Earth weigh in kg?

For the first time, the ancient Greek scientist Erastosthenes tried to determine the size of the Earth. By measuring the shadow in different cities of Greece with a stick and comparing the results, Eratosthenes obtained a formula for calculating the volume of the Earth.

It is interesting!

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Then there was the famous Italian physicist, mechanic and astronomer Galileo Galilei, who discovered the law of free fall in the 17th century. The baton of great discoveries was taken over by Isaac Newton, thanks to whom the world learned about the law of gravity. So, according to this law, the force of attraction between two bodies is directly proportional to their mass and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.

Now it remains only to use the formulas and calculate how much the Earth weighs. For the first time, the mass of the Earth was determined by the Scottish doctor N. Makelin in 1774. According to the results of calculations, the mass of the planet was 5.879 sextillion tons. However, at present this figure has increased slightly - up to 5.976 sextillion tons.

The earth weighs about 5.976 sextillion tons.

However, these discrepancies are in no way evidence of inaccuracies in the calculations of a medieval scientist. On the contrary, these measurements are striking in their accuracy, and the discrepancy between the indicators is explained by the constant increase in the mass of our Earth due to the settling of cosmic dust. Every year the Earth becomes heavier by about 30,000 tons!

By the way, based on the principle of gravity, you can measure the weight of the Earth quite simply. We hang a small weight on the thread and measure its exact position. Nearby we have a ton of lead. The mutual attraction between the two bodies will cause the small weight to move slightly to the side - less than 0.00002 mm. This is a very small value, but on its basis it is possible to calculate the mass of the Earth. It is enough to measure the force of gravity in relation to weight and the force of attraction of a small load to lead. Based on the relative difference obtained, the mass of the Earth can be calculated.

Earth mass distribution

It is known that the composition of our planet is heterogeneous. So, here is the approximate distribution of the total mass of the Earth (in descending order):

The mantle is a shell consisting of silicates of iron, calcium and magnesium. Its mass is 4.043 x 10 24 kg
The core, which includes iron and nickel - about 1.93 x 10 24 kg
The earth's crust, which is the habitat of mankind - 0.026 x 10 24 kg
Hydrosphere - it accounts for about 0.0014 x 10 24 kg
The atmosphere occupies approximately 0.0000051 x 1024 kg

How much does the Earth weigh compared to other planets?

Our Earth is the largest among the planets of the Earth group. For example, the mass of Mars is about 0.108 Earth's weight, Venus is 0.815, and Mercury is 0.055.

But the gas giant planets are many times larger than the Earth and just as much heavier. Compared to Jupiter, our planet is 317.8 times lighter - however, this “giant” is far from any other “inhabitant” solar system. For comparison: Saturn is 95.1 times heavier than Earth, Neptune - 17.2 times, Uranus - 14.5 times.

Now we know how much the Earth weighs, as well as the ratio of its mass to the weight of other planets in the solar system.

How to weigh the sun?

AT Everyday life the attraction of bodies to each other (except for gravity) is imperceptible. Gravity (i.e. gravitation) is too negligible compared to other forces. Only the gigantic masses of the Earth and other cosmic bodies create the illusion of gravitational power. But only very subtle experiments can measure how small bodies attract each other.

The first successful experiment of this kind was done as early as 1798 by Newton's compatriot G. Cavendish (1731-1810). His installation, called a torsion balance (Fig. 34), consisted of two small balls (c), connected by a rod, which was suspended on a quartz thread. Near these balls, Cavendish placed two massive lead balls (B). These balls, attracting the ends of the rod, twisted the quartz thread. By twisting the thread, you can calculate the force of attraction F. According to the law of gravity

where m 1 and m 2 are the masses of small balls, r is the distance between them and large balls, and G is the proportionality coefficient, called the gravitational constant, the value of which can be determined from the indicated formula:

Knowing G and using the law of gravity, one can determine the mass of the Earth and other cosmic bodies. Indeed, let the mass of the Earth be M. Then any body of mass m is attracted by the Earth with the force

where R is the radius of the Earth. Hence the mass of the earth is

Substituting the known value of the quantities into the formula, we obtain

According to the law of gravity, the Earth and the Moon revolve around a common center of gravity C, which lies inside the Earth. Let us denote its distance from the center of the Earth by the letter x. Then according to the laws of mechanics

where M is the mass of the Earth, m is the mass of the Moon, and r is the distance between them. Due to the movement of the Earth around point C, the astronomical longitude of the Sun changes (compared to what it would be in the absence of such movement). Precise astronomical measurements lead to the conclusion that x = 4635 km and, therefore,

Having "weighed" the Moon, or, more precisely, having determined its mass, we can proceed to the "weighing" of the Sun. Let some planet of mass m have a satellite of mass m 1 . We denote the mass of the Sun by M, and the periods of revolution of the planet around the Sun and the satellite around the planet, respectively, T and T 1 . Then, according to the refined Kepler's third law, it follows:

where a and a 1 are the semiaxes of the orbits of the planet and the satellite. Since the mass of the planet is small compared to the mass of the Sun, and the satellite is much smaller than that of the planet, we arrive at an approximate equality

Earth is a unique planet in the solar system. It is not the smallest, but not the largest either: it ranks fifth in size. Among the planets terrestrial group it is the largest in mass, diameter, density. The planet is located in outer space, and it is difficult to find out how much the Earth weighs. It cannot be put on a scale and weighed, so they talk about its weight by summing up the mass of all the substances of which it consists. Approximately this figure is equal to 5.9 sextillion tons. To understand what this figure is, you can simply write it down mathematically: 5,900,000,000,000,000,000,000. This number of zeros somehow dazzles your eyes.

History of attempts to determine the size of the planet

Scientists of all ages and peoples have tried to find an answer to the question of how much the Earth weighs. In ancient times, people assumed that the planet is flat plate held by whales and a turtle. Some nations had elephants instead of whales. In any case, different peoples of the world represented the planet as flat and having its edge.

During the Middle Ages, ideas about shape and weight changed. The first to talk about a spherical view was J. Bruno, however, the Inquisition executed him for his beliefs. Another contribution to science, which shows the radius and mass of the Earth, was made by the traveler Magellan. It was he who suggested that the planet is round.

First discoveries

Earth - physical body, which has certain properties, among which there is a weight. This discovery led to a variety of studies. By physical theory Weight is the force exerted by a body on a support. Given that the Earth has no support, we can conclude that it has no weight, but there is a mass, and a large one.

Earth weight

For the first time, Eratosthenes, an ancient Greek scientist, tried to determine the size of the planet. In different cities of Greece, he measured the shadow, and then compared the data obtained. Thus he tried to calculate the volume of the planet. After him, the Italian G. Galilei tried to make calculations. It was he who discovered the law of free gravity. The relay race to determine how much the Earth weighs was adopted by I. Newton. Through trying to take measurements, he discovered the law of gravity.

For the first time, the Scottish scientist N. Makelin managed to determine how much the Earth weighs. According to his calculations, the mass of the planet is 5.9 sextillion tons. Now this figure has increased. Differences in weight are due to the settling of cosmic dust on the surface of the planet. Approximately thirty tons of dust are left on the planet every year, making it heavier.

Mass of the Earth

To know exactly how much the Earth weighs, you need to know the composition and weight of the substances that make up the planet.

Mantle. The mass of this shell is approximately 4.05 X 10 24 kg.
Nucleus. This shell weighs less than the mantle - only 1.94 X 10 24 kg.
Earth's crust. This part is very thin and weighs only 0.027 X 1024 kg.
Hydrosphere and atmosphere. These shells weigh 0.0015 X 10 24 and 0.0000051 X 10 24 kg, respectively.

Adding all these data, we get the weight of the Earth. However, according to different sources, the mass of the planet is different. So how much does planet Earth weigh in tons, and how much do other planets weigh? The weight of the planet is 5.972 X 10 21 tons. The radius is 6370 kilometers.

Based on the principle of gravity, one can easily determine the weight of the Earth. To do this, a thread is taken, and a small load is hung on it. Its location is determined accurately. A ton of lead is placed nearby. An attraction arises between two bodies, due to which the load deviates to the side by an insignificant distance. However, even a deviation of 0.00003 mm makes it possible to calculate the mass of the planet. To do this, it is enough to measure the force of attraction in relation to the weight and the force of attraction of a small load to a large one. The data obtained allow us to calculate the mass of the Earth.

Mass of the Earth and other planets

The earth is the most big planet earth group. In relation to it, the mass of Mars is about 0.1 of the Earth's weight, and Venus is 0.8. is about 0.05 of the earth. Gas giants many times larger than the earth. If we compare Jupiter and our planet, then the giant is 317 times larger, and Saturn is 95 times heavier, Uranus is 14 times heavier. There are planets that weigh 500 times more than the Earth or more. These are huge gaseous bodies located outside our solar system.

Planet Earth is the third largest planet in the solar system. It is also the largest in terms of mass, diameter and density among the terrestrial planets (this includes Venus, Mercury, Earth and Mars). However, the Earth, for example, is 14 times smaller in mass than another gas planet - Uranus.

Few today know what is the mass of our huge and immense planet, while scientists have long calculated it. It is equal to 5.98 10 24 kilograms.

In our article, we will describe in detail what the mass of the Earth is and how it is calculated.

Gravity, mass and weight

Gravity, mass and weight are one of the basic physical quantities, however, many people confuse these concepts. It is necessary to clarify the meaning of each of them.

Gravity is a force that acts on any body located near the surface of the earth or relative to another body. In other words, gravity is the force with which bodies are attracted to the surface of the Earth;
Weight is the physical force or amount with which a body acts on a support. Suppose if a body is at rest on the surface of the earth, then weight is nothing but the force with which this body acts on the surface. The basic unit of measurement is newtons;
Body mass is a measure that measures the ability of any material body to gravitational interaction. It is measured in grams, kilograms, centners, tons. Gravitational attraction or interaction, in turn, underlies the universal gravitation discovered by I. Newton.

Mass of the Earth

Measuring the mass of the Earth is a long historical process, to which the minds of many of the greatest scientists have applied. The dimensions of our planet were first discovered by Eratosthenes around 240 BC. e.

For many centuries, Ptolemy's geocentric system dominated physics and astronomy, according to which the Earth was located at the center of the solar system. Only after the discovery by N. Copernicus, I. Kepler, G. Galileo and others did a detailed study of the parameters of the planet Earth begin. The basic laws of dynamics were discovered - the laws of I. Newton, which laid the foundation for measuring the mass of the Earth.

The mass of the Earth was first measured in the 18th century by the British chemist G. Cavendish. For his experiment, he used a torsion balance setup with lead balls tied at the ends. Alternately bringing two large lead balls to these balls, the scientist determined how many times the force of attraction of a small ball to a large one differs from the force of attraction of the Earth. The mass of the Earth, according to the calculations, turned out to be 6·10 21 kilograms. Such a number is very close to the value of the mass of the Earth, accepted already in our time, it is approximately 5.98·10 24 kilograms.

The formula for calculating the Earth according to the basic laws of dynamics is as follows:

M = q r 2 /G, where:

q - gravitational acceleration or gravitational acceleration, given to the body by gravity. It is measured in meters per second and depends primarily on the latitude and time of day on the surface of planet Earth. In physics, the number 9.8 is taken as gravitational acceleration;

> > > Mass of the Earth

Find out exactly what is the mass of the earth is the third planet in the solar system. Description of the calculation formula, equation with components and the final result of the mass of the planet.

Reaches a mark of 5.9736 x 10 24 kg. This is a large number, but in order for our brain to get into a state of shock, then in full form - 5,973,600,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 kg. Wow!

How to find out the mass of the Earth?

But it’s more interesting to know how they could even understand what the mass of the Earth is? It's all about the gravity that our planet exerts on nearby objects.

Physics tells us that any body with mass attracts. If you put two billiard balls side by side, they will tend to the next one. This force is not noticeable to us, but the devices capture due to their sensitivity. This calculation will help to derive the mass of both.

Newton suggested that the mass of spherical objects is concentrated at their centers. Then you can use the equation:

F = G (M1 * M2 / R 2).

F is the force of gravity between them.
G - constant \u003d 6.67259 × 10 -11 m 3 / kg s 2.
-M1 and M2 are attracted masses.
R is the distance between them.

Let's say that one of the masses is represented by the Earth, and the second will be a kilogram sphere. The force between them is 9.8 kg * m / s 2. The Earth's radius is 6,400,000 m. If you add these values to the formula, you get 6 x 10 24 kg.

It is important to note that it is correct to use the word "mass" in the question, and not "weight", because the latter concept is the force that is needed to calculate the gravitational field. You can take the ball and weigh it on the Earth and the Moon, and the mark will change. But the mass is a stable number and the earth's is constant.

It seems that this is a lot, but let's not forget that there are larger objects in our system. For example, our star exceeds the earth's mass by 330,000 times, and Jupiter by 318 times. There are, of course, crumbs. So the Martian mass occupies only 11% of the Earth.

We are lucky because of the highest planetary density in the system - 5.52 g/cm 3 . This value is inherited from the metal core, around which a layer of rocky mantle is concentrated. Less dense planets, like the giant Jupiter, are represented by hydrogen and other gases. Now you know what the mass of the Earth is.