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speakyourmindbaby
Guest
The nuclear reactions in the core of the Sun continually convert matter into energy. Predict what effect this loss of mass will eventually have on Pluto, the farthest planet from the Sun? Why?
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DLM
Guest
Virtually none. The loss of solar mass is in this process less than 1/10 of 1 percent for every 100 million years. The diminishing gravity is completely negligible, until, say, the sun approaches its white dwarf stage when it is roughly 0.6 solar masses. The result from that is Pluto would orbit the sun more slowly, assuming its distance were unchanged.
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DLM
Guest
Virtually none. The loss of solar mass is in this process less than 1/10 of 1 percent for every 100 million years. The diminishing gravity is completely negligible, until, say, the sun approaches its white dwarf stage when it is roughly 0.6 solar masses. The result from that is Pluto would orbit the sun more slowly, assuming its distance were unchanged.
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samrichie28
Guest
i don't know what it would do to Pluto, or why. But I can tell you that Pluto isn't classed as a planet anymore! That's something you need to get stuck in your head!
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HD269810
Guest
Who gave you this pretty dumb question? Anyway, the sun has converted 100 Earth-masses of fuel into energy since 4.6 billion years ago. The sun's mass is 330,000 Earths put together. Say, the sun consumes another 200 Earth masses (which is a pretty big assumption) in the next 5 billion years, this is still negligible to have any effect on Pluto or its orbit. The greatest loss of mass in the sun will not be attributed mainly to nuclear reactions in its core but right after it throws its outer layers as a dying white dwarf, shedding roughly half its current mass. If its your teacher, who asked that...I dunno, she needs more reading.
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colombianswims
Guest
As the sun loses mass, it's gravitational hold on all the planets (not just pluto) decreases. Combine this with the effects of the solar wind, and basically all the objects (in stable orbits) in the solar system are moving away from the sun.