What if the Earth was five times smaller?

If the Earth were 5 times smaller, which would be the consequences? First of all, we have to consider that the distance between us and the center of the planet will be minor. So, it would be easier to jump in this planet. We would need less energy to reach the potential barrier, and then to scape of the planet. We can conclude that because of the potential energy formula (E=mg). This is caused because of the Earth gravity force to us would decrease.

We have also to think about the surface of the Earth. With the knowledge that there are 3/4 of the surface composed by water and 1/4 of land where we can located the continents, would they fit in? We think that if we reduce 5 times the radio of the Earth the continents would be together and it will be Pangea again. But, it would also happen that the continents crash. Then, it could cause a superposition among the tectonic plaques. 

Group 7. 

Members of the group: Paula Delicado, Nuria Epila, Andrea Vicente, Carmen Pérez.

Earth and seasons.

The hypothesis we have considered would include having another star as the Sun but with smaller dimensions. 

The “second Sun” would be like a satellite located in an orbit around the Earth so that its light would arrive to the North of the planet when this point was further from the Sun and, on the contrary, to the South when it was so. To reach an exact compensation of the intensity of the Sun rays in any moment, the orbit of the second sun would have some inclination that would also have located the extremes of this inclination near to the South and the North. This way, once arrived to the point of the orbit where it’s compensated the rays’ intensity on the South, the second sun would begin to raise the high gradually, arriving as much to the point to where it would compensate intensity on the North. The period of this satellite would be 365 days. It wouldn’t be necessary to perform more turns around the Earth.

Thus, it is important to clarify that the intensity of the rays arriving to the surface related to the difference between the pole and any other point closer to the Ecuador, is lower in the first case. This is because the distance that the rays have to cover to arrive to the surface is higher in points closer to the Pole, so they scatter more in the atmosphere and loose intensity.

But how would be having two suns affect our planet and the other ones? 

Having two suns would need a “Second Sun” orbit as we have explained, and it would have the consequence of having at some points of the planet a daily appearance on Earth life. Humans would need to change our habits and, overall, our life. That means that we would have to change our perception of night and day in many cases and get adapted to them when sleeping. Overall, as seasons would have changed and it would be every day at most of the time the sun shining, animals would not behave the same way, for example the hibernation would be affected, also the blooming of flowers or the migration of birds. Animals would have to change patterns and plants so. and also how they survive in our planet. 

As we have considered that the Second sun is smaller, the light that arrives to the other planets would be almost zero. So, we think that it would not be strong enough to change anything in the universe in a significant way.