If you cut the planet in half...what would happen?

Richard Dower · 09-02-2013 02:37AM #1

Lets apply science fiction to science fact here....lets assume you had a space based laser, massively powered.....it shoots out a straight beam and slices through the Earth.....what would happen?

Would the two halves break apart and float away?...would everyone get killed

DrumSteve · 09-02-2013 02:39AM

I guess it would depend on what exactly is in the earths core, but we'd all die.

raze_them_all_ · 09-02-2013 02:40AM

we would all die.

uch · 09-02-2013 02:40AM

You'd have 2 Halves

13spanner · 09-02-2013 02:41AM

We talking North-South or East-West here?

Napper Hawkins · 09-02-2013 02:41AM

We would all die.

You would have two halves.

7 7 12 · 09-02-2013 02:41AM

uch wrote: »

You'd have 2 Halves

I can confirm this is correct.

TheLastMohican · 09-02-2013 02:41AM

If both halves then rejoined - we'd be back where we started. Two halves make a hole

Richard Dower · 09-02-2013 02:42AM

DrumSteve wrote: »

I guess it would depend on what exactly is in the earths core, but we'd all die.

I guess all the magma would spill out and cover the surface.......

nibtrix · 09-02-2013 02:42AM

You should ask at http://what-if.xkcd.com/

Lelantos · 09-02-2013 02:42AM

You die, the core is molten & possibly dense metal at its heart to aid gravitation. You cut the planet in half we explode & float off into space

im invisible · 09-02-2013 02:43AM

I think i saw this film, must look it up

Jimoslimos · 09-02-2013 02:44AM

Unlikely the two halves would drift away, you'd need a fair distance apart before that happens. Probably fuse together over time. The disruption to the earth's magnetic field might be the biggest problem for us

Pottler · 09-02-2013 02:44AM

1, Lasers need a lot of leccy.
2. lasers need a lot of leccy.
3. Space laser singes huge area in funny little line pattern. To a depth of 1mm.
4.Lasers need a lot of leccy.

Carawaystick · 09-02-2013 02:44AM

Richard Dower wrote: »

Lets apply science fiction to science fact here....lets assume you had a space based laser, massively powered.....it shoots out a straight beam and slices through the Earth.....what would happen?

Would the two halves break apart and float away?...would everyone get killed

You'ld need to calculate the centre of gravity of a hemisphere , and then use 2x that to calculate the gravitational attraction to the 2 halves, then figure out the centrifugal force

Bonus marks for worrying about the core being molten and flowing into the gap
And a gold star for worrying about how how the molten bits would solidify and how that'd change the game

Send it on to what-if.xkcd.com for a Propper after hours response

Richard Dower · 09-02-2013 02:49AM

Carawaystick wrote: »

You'ld need to calculate the centre of gravity of a hemisphere , and then use 2x that to calculate the gravitational attraction to the 2 halves, then figure out the centrifugal force

Bonus marks for worrying about the core being molten and flowing into the gap
And a gold star for worrying about how how the molten bits would solidify and how that'd change the game

Send it on to what-if.xkcd.com for a Propper after hours response

Just emailed them lets see what they say

senorwipesalot · 09-02-2013 02:50AM

Chivers jam would spill everywhere.

Molten lava me hole.

rossie1977 · 09-02-2013 02:50AM

earth would lose its magnetic field for one and the solar winds would bake the surface

im invisible · 09-02-2013 02:51AM

Nothing, although it depends where you cut, i cant imagine a ring of volcano the whole way around the earth, but somewhere along the san andreas fault would probably cause a bit of havoc.

toastedpickles · 09-02-2013 02:51AM

Richard Dower wrote: »

Lets apply science fiction to science fact here....lets assume you had a space based laser, massively powered.....it shoots out a straight beam and slices through the Earth.....what would happen?

Would the two halves break apart and float away?...would everyone get killed

I instantly thought of rachet and clank when i seen this so, It might be something like this

"Unfortunately, this change in mass will cause your planet to spin out of control and drift towards the sun where it will explode into a flaming ball of gas"

Or something similar

osarusan · 09-02-2013 02:52AM

The meaning of the expression 'my other half' would need to be reexamined.

Lelantos · 09-02-2013 02:54AM

Richard Dower wrote: »

Just emailed them lets see what they say

You have to factor in the centre of the earths core is solid iron & is almost the size of the moon. It affects our gravity on the surface, gravitational pull too.

RobbingBandit · 09-02-2013 02:56AM

How big a laser are we talking here?

Lelantos · 09-02-2013 02:58AM

RobbingBandit wrote: »

How big a laser are we talking here?

Big enough to correct gods eyesight so he can at last ditch those unsexy glasses he always wears......and let him watch in perfect 20/20 vision as you destroy his creation.

Chuck Stone · 09-02-2013 03:00AM

All the dinner would spill out.

im invisible · 09-02-2013 03:02AM

How thick of a cut? I cant see it having any effect below the crust, the mantle and outer core would flow back together, and the inner core would just be pushed together by gravity, cant see it effecting the magnetic field either, but on the surface, its anyones guess.