Do planets and moons have different atmospheres?

Question

please explain why

thanks

Answer 1

Certainly. Most moons (including earth's) are too small to retain an atmosphere, but a few are big enough to have one. The atmospheric constituents depend on the temperature; carbon dioxide freezes out at higher temperatures than methane or nitrogen. Venus has a very dense atmosphere with a lot of sulfuric acid; Mars has very little; the outer planets have very large atmospheres of hydrogen, methane, nitrogen, and some other gases with proportions depending on temperature.

Answer 2

Yes . . Planets and Moons in our Solar System have varying degrees of atmosphere as well as differing composition.

The Earth as you know has an atmosphere composed mostly of Nitrogen, Oxygen and other trace gases. Our Moon has a tenuous (thin) atmosphere containing Sodium. The larger Jovian Planets have atmospheres containing mostly hydrogen & methane, some nitrogen, etc.

There are a number of factors that contribute to a Planet's or Moon's ability to maintain an atmosphere . . . it must first create the atmosphere, then have the ability to maintain it. Lack of gravity, lack of raw materials or processes to continue producing the atmosphere, temperatures which are too hot, or too cold all contribute to loss of atmosphere.

On the moon, sodium in the atmosphere is being continually replenished, although exactly how this is occurring is unknown. Silicon dioxide is the most prevalent component in moon rocks. Experiments have shown the atmosphere is not being created due to ionization from the solar wind, micrometeorite impacts or heating of the lunar surface by the sun. Research continues.

Hope that helps you,
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Answer 3

Most moons do not have an atmosphere or it is so low it is not considered. The reason they don't have enough gravity to hold an atmosphere . The solar heat excites the gas molecules until they obtain escape velocity.