Please make your answer short. About 2-4 sentences. By the way this isnt a homework assignment so im NOT copying. Its a question on my study guide, and i need to know the answer for our test. Thank you all.
2007-06-10 15:02:55 · 7 answers · asked by Homer Simpson 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
There is the force of gravity opposing the entropy of the gas that makes the gas want to move outward. So the planet's gravity holds the atmosphere in place.
2007-06-10 15:06:54 · answer #1 · answered by curbionicle 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I guess the statement is false when applied to unenclosed spaces (like the area around a planet.
Each molecule has mass (not much, but still some). If the planet's gravity is sufficient, the gas will be retained by it. There will be less and less of it as you go up.
The other key info is escape velocity. When heated by the sun (or struck by any energetic photon or particle), the individual molecules gain speed. If the speed of a molecule that is already way up there exceeds the escape speed of the planet, it may escape into space.
The lighter the gas (e.g., Hydrogen, Helium), the easier the molecule can reach high speeds.
Knowing the gas mix, the escape velocity and the distance from the Sun, it is possible to estimate how fast gas can escape (or not) from an atmosphere.
Compare Titan (around Saturn) to our Moon.
2007-06-10 15:10:30 · answer #2 · answered by Raymond 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The gravitational field of the earth attracts and holds the gas molecules that are heavy enough. Some gases like H2 and He are not heavy enough and reach a speed that allow them to escape earth. O2 and N2 cannot reach escape velocity and remain in the atmosphere.
F=GMm/r^2
2007-06-10 15:16:41 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
maybe this could be using black holes or maybe some thing an area government is as much as, yet is classed from NASA. we actually do no longer comprehend... hypothesis does not provide us any conclusions as of yet, in trouble-free terms achieveable leads. could be as you seem to take a position, If God is giving us a sign, yet lower back we could watch for genuine conclusiveness. If God is able to cloak religious creative and prescient of issues & technology can not degree issues in this realm... then he's likewise better than able to cloaking sounds interior the religious realm. in trouble-free terms time will tell.
2017-01-06 05:16:26 · answer #4 · answered by bashford 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The atmosphere has mass, the earth's gravity holds it in place.
2007-06-11 12:59:47 · answer #5 · answered by johnandeileen2000 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
gravity holds everything down towards Earth
2007-06-10 17:54:23 · answer #6 · answered by Korcs0o 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The earth's gravity.
2007-06-10 15:07:44 · answer #7 · answered by James 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋