An Expanding Earth with Loss of Gravitational Potential Energy

Abstract

RECENTLY, and independently, Carey¹ and Heezen² have concluded that the Earth is expanding. The first question asked of such a hypothesis usually takes the form of an inquiry as to the source of energy for such an expansion. This question is based on the assumption that the gravitational potential energy of the Earth is inversely proportional to its radius, and the assumption in turn is presumably based on the well-known equation (see, for example, Loney's “Statics”, p.359). where E is the gravitational potential energy, G the gravitational constant, M the mass and a the radius of the Earth. However, the equation refers only to a sphere of uniform density, and one possibility that appears to have been overlooked is that a non-uniform Earth can expand and lose gravitational potential energy at the same time.