If you mean why doesn't earth's atmosphere just disappear into space, the answer is that a very small part does, at the edges. That is why hydrogen and helium are such a small fraction of the earth's atmosphere. The heavier gasses (nitrogen, oxygen, CO2 and pollutants) are held closer to the earth's surface by gravity.
Mars has a very thin atmosphere because it is smaller and has less gravity and the moon does not have any atmosphere because it is so small and the gravity is that much weaker.
The vacuum of space does not really exert any attractive force on the atmosphere because there is no gravity. Because gas molecules are free to move around and bounce off of each other, occasionally some will bounce just right to escape earth's gravity and drift off into the vacuum.
2006-07-11 07:39:28
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answer #1
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answered by Raymond C 4
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You cannot compare gravity with vacuum because gravity is a force, and vacuum is simply the lack of particles. The gravity is capable of holding the Earth's atmosphere down. And the Earth's magnetic fields prevent the Sun's solar wind particles from blowing away our atmosphere. The Earth's magnetic fields basically deflect all the particles around the Earth.
2006-07-11 08:18:41
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answer #2
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answered by Science_Guy 4
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Yes a huge vacuum can suck all the air in the earth's atmosphere.
2006-07-11 07:34:46
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answer #3
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answered by Dr M 5
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A huge vacuum could suck up the Earth's atmosphere, if it get close enough. The only vacuum big enough would be a black hole, and we are far enough away from those for now.
2006-07-11 07:34:14
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answer #4
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answered by Patrick H 2
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If you're referring to a vacuum you use to clean your house, I suppose it could absorb the earth's atmosphere. But the vacuum releases as much as it takes in. Air goes in, air goes out.
2006-07-11 07:51:07
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answer #5
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answered by M 4
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Because the earth sucks!
Just kiddin'. Gravity must be strong enough to stop the molecules (which have a high velocity) from escaping .
To remain near earth the molecules' average velocity must be less than the escape velocity of the earth.
2006-07-11 07:35:41
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answer #6
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answered by Anonymous
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