Gravitational Silence: The Boring Reality of Stars Suddenly Losing Each Other’s Gravity

What would happen if the Sun and the Alpha Centauri star system suddenly became immune to each other's gravity for a decade? The answer is rather boring: nothing. Assuming that the entire Sol system and the entire Alpha Centauri system experienced a magical cessation of gravitational forces between them, but otherwise, gravity remained unchanged, there would be no significant observable effects.

The Gravity Equation

The force of gravity between two objects is determined by the universal law of gravitation. It is described by the equation:

Fgrav Gm1 m2 / d2

Where:

Fgrav is the gravitational force between the objects G is the gravitational constant m1 and m2 are the masses of the two objects d is the distance between the centers of the two objects

Calculating the Gravitational Force

Since the stars host most of the mass in their respective systems, we can simplify the calculation by using the combined mass of the Alpha Centauri system and the mass of the Sun. Here are the specific values:

G 6.673 × 10-11 N m2/kg2 Mass of the Sun 1.988 × 1030 kg Mass of Alpha Centauri A 1.1 Solar Masses 2.187 × 1030 kg Mass of Alpha Centauri B 0.907 Solar Masses 1.803 × 1030 kg Mass of Proxima Centauri 0.123 Solar Masses 2.446 × 1029 kg Distance between Sun and Alpha Centauri 4.37 light years 4.134 × 1016 m

The combined mass of the Alpha Centauri stars is:

1.1 0.907 0.123 2.13 kg (Solar Masses)

Note: The combined mass of Alpha Centauri A, B, and Proxima Centauri is approximately 8.418 × 1060 kg.

Substituting the values into the gravitational equation:

Fgrav 6.673 × 10-11 × (1.988 × 1030) × (8.418 × 1060) / (4.134 × 1016)2

Fgrav 3.287 × 1017 N

This force seems quite impressive, but it needs context. To understand how this force translates, we can consider its acceleration effect:

3.287 × 1017 N force 3.287 × 1017 kg to accelerate 1 m/s2

Given the extremely large masses and vast distances involved, the disappearance of this force for 10 years would have no noticeable impact.

The Unnoticeable Impact

The absence of gravitational force between the Sun and alpha Centauri for 10 years would not result in any observable differences. The stars would continue their current trajectories, unaffected by this odd scenario. The vastness of space and the immense distances between stars mean that a 10-year period of gravitational isolation would be imperceptible.

Conclusion

In summary, the disappearance of gravitational forces between the Sun and Alpha Centauri for a decade would thus result in no significant changes. Understanding the scale and dynamics of gravitational forces in the universe helps us appreciate how such phenomena affect our understanding of the cosmos.