The energy released in a collision between Earth and another planet would depend on various factors, including the mass, velocity, and composition of both objects. To provide a rough estimate, let's consider a hypothetical scenario where a planet of similar size and mass to Earth collides head-on with our planet.
Earth's mass is approximately 5.97 × 10^24 kilograms, and its average orbital velocity around the Sun is about 30 kilometers per second. If we assume a similar-sized planet with similar mass, the collision would involve the combined kinetic energy of both objects.
The kinetic energy of an object can be calculated using the formula:
E = (1/2) × m × v^2
where E is the kinetic energy, m is the mass, and v is the velocity.
Assuming a conservative average velocity of 30 kilometers per second for both Earth and the hypothetical planet, and considering the mass of Earth as mentioned earlier, the calculation would be:
E = (1/2) × (2 × 5.97 × 10^24 kg) × (30,000 m/s)^2
Performing the calculations yields an approximate value of 5.37 × 10^34 joules.
To put this into perspective, the energy released by the most powerful earthquake ever recorded, the 1960 Valdivia earthquake in Chile, was estimated to be around 1.0 × 10^17 joules. The energy released in the hypothetical Earth-planet collision would be many orders of magnitude higher, equivalent to billions of times the energy released in that earthquake.
Keep in mind that this is a simplified estimation based on several assumptions, and the actual energy released in such a catastrophic event would depend on numerous factors, including the angle and velocity of the collision, as well as the specific characteristics of the colliding objects. Realistic scenarios involving planet-scale collisions would likely result in immense energy release and catastrophic consequences for both planets involved.