2007-02-07 08:35:54 · 17 answers · asked by graz 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
There are billions and billions of molecules in the atmosphere are bumping around and yes molecules are escaping into space all the time, but they have to be going fast enough to escape the earths gravity. That is how Mars lost its atmosphere it's not very big and so the gravitational pull is less.
The point is that the bigger the planet the harder it is to escape and while that is happening the earth is continually being bombarded by particles from space (the biggest ones are visible - meteors and meteorites). Overall the earth is big enough to stay the same so, unlike the moon or Mars, we keep our atmosphere and its composition is successfully preserved by vegetation . . . . . . . . or was until we started to industrialise a couple of centuries ago.
2007-02-07 10:07:54 · answer #1 · answered by Richard T 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It would get sucked out if there was no such thing as gravity. We would also get sucked out, and everything else that wasn't firmly stuck down.
Stephen T above is wrong in saying gravity is the strongest force. It is one of the weakest forces, such that it requires a body weighing 20 billion trillion tonnes to make you weigh 50 Kg, or whatever your weight may be.
If you landed on a small asteroid, say 1 km wide, you could jump off it - that is, you would have enough power in your legs to reach escape velocity in its low gravity. But a 1km asteroid will weigh at least a billion tonnes, so you see gravity is a very weak force.
Compare that with the nuclear forces, where 1 kg of material contains enough nuclear energy to produce billions of joules of energy. That is the basis of the sun's energy, and why it will go on producing for billions of years.
2007-02-07 16:48:39 · answer #2 · answered by nick s 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's the magnetic shield generated by the earth core that hold everything together beside gravity because all non living things and living things have their own magnetic properties including human being too.
2007-02-07 18:14:09 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Gravity holds them close to the Earth.
2007-02-07 18:36:11 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
since the force of gravity is more than the diffrence of pressure
between da atmosphere and the vaccum the gases donot get sucked up by the vaccum
2007-02-08 11:45:02 · answer #5 · answered by rhythmdivine_11 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The earth is also spinning at 1,038 mph at the equator; how come fluids don't go spinning off into space there due to centrifugal force? but then it is not spinning over a foot an hour at the north/south poles
2007-02-07 16:53:06 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The pull of gravity.
2007-02-07 16:43:11 · answer #7 · answered by mustafa 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A little thing called gravity.
2007-02-07 16:40:28 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The same thing that stops you and everyone else getting sucked into space...........Gravity
2007-02-07 16:45:10 · answer #9 · answered by the_angel_and_the_vampire 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Gravity. Gas is affected by gravity just like solids and gasses are.
2007-02-07 16:44:55 · answer #10 · answered by monkeymanelvis 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋