If matter can neither be created nor destroyed does that mean that the earth has had the same mass since the dawn of time?
by 
eyeofthetiger
ANSWERS: 3
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Absolutely not. Matter/energy can neither be created nor destroyed (remember there is a deep equivalence between matter and energy). Much of the matter that makes up the Earth did not exist at the dawn of time. Our solar system is thought to be a third-generation star system which has only existed for about 1/3 of the Universe's 14 billion year lifetime. In the early Universe, mostly lighter elements existed - Hydrogen and Helium etc. It took several generations of dying stars and supernovae to create the heavier elements that we see in much higher abundance today, and are what make up the Earth and the Sun and the other planets. For example, the iron and nickel that comprises much of the Earth's core are the result of stars burning up all of their hydrogen to form helium, then they fuse the helium to form carbon and oxygen. The more massive stars will fuse carbon and oxygen to form heavier elements such as silicon and iron.
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Chemical reactions / changes conserve mass; no gain, no loss. Nuclear reactions exchange mass and energy. Nuclear fusion (fusing/joining nuclei) and nuclear fission (splitting nuclei)both must be exothermic since they are used for bombs, powerplants, etc. Some of the mass of the reactants is turned into energy, so the products weigh a tiny bit less by E=m c squared. So I would say that since the dawn of time OF EARTH it is likely tiny amounts of mass have been lost. Is this for the time of Earth's creation or the big bang?
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matter can be destroyed supposedly with anti matter, which supposedly has been created in the lab and the earth has gained material since it's formation through meteor barmbardment which increases it's mass and while that is matter per se, your comparing 2 different conditions and situations and concepts as the matter in which you speak in the first part that can be neither created or destroyed is at the atomic sub atomic levels (Nuclear) and the earth while consisting of matter gains mass or matter through gravitatioanal attraction which is kinda different.. ~Nemo~
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