if space is a perfect vacuum why doesn't the air get suck out of the earth?

Answer 1

Good question. The earth's atmosphere has mass, and you could also ask "why doesn't the earth's rotation fling out the atmosphere into space via centrifugal force?", an equally good question.

The answer is gravity. The atmosphere is trapped in its present location by a balance of forces including gravity, centrifugal and coriolis forces.

Answer 2

In order for gasess escaping the gravity pressure holding down the atmosphere to the Earth ;the Power per unit atom of gas has to exceed the per Unit Power of gravity.The same scenario exists with The Planet Saturn.

Your statement about space being a perfect vaccum is only an assumption. In Chinese culture space is not a vaccuum or complete emptiness. it is refered to as The "Chi"and without the Chi the UNiverse would not exist. The reason is that the Chi is what hold every mass into a structural achitecture.

Answer 3

Gravity holds the Earth's atmosphere in place. The weight of the gases in the atmosphere overrides the pressure for those gases to expand out into the vacuum of space.

Answer 4

First of all, space is NOT a perfect vacume I've heard. It is not completely empty but most of it is but there are some trace gases (very few) Second of all, our gravity holds in the gases that have been created by watter, us, and some from long ago. The line between the atmoshere and space is not definite. Just remember that.

Answer 5

space is not a perfect vacum in fact space is full every thing that exists in the universe exists in space planets atoms basket ball size invisable particles the air you breath in contains space.

Answer 6

Because the earth has gravity...which hold us down to the earth as well as the atmosphere...

Answer 7

gravity