• lowleveldata@programming.dev
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    5 months ago

    What is the total mass gain if all lithium(3) became sulfur(16)? How many planets would become stars overnight?

    • Platypus@sh.itjust.works
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      5 months ago

      Per Wolfram Alpha, sulfur is 4.62 times heavier; the earth is 0.002% lithium, so it would experience a net gain of 3.62 * mass of earth * 0.00002, or 4.3e20kg. That’s 7.24e-5 times heavier, so not much in the grand scheme of things.

      Note that I’m neither a chemist, a physicist, or an astronomer, so I make no guarantee that I did this right.

      Edit: misplaced decimal

    • GrayBackgroundMusic@lemm.ee
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      5 months ago

      What is the total mass gain if all lithium(3) became sulfur(16)?

      Related, there’s a Kurzgesagt video on what happens if you turn the entire earth into gold: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VB_GWz25B3Q

      You have to make assumptions on what you keep constant: mass? volume? density? Each scenario is amusing in its own apocalyptic way.