Why does the Moon not have an atmosphere?

Question

Use the Equipartition Theorem to help answer this.

Answer 1

The Moon has no atmosphere worth mentioning because it did not have enough mass to keep an atmosphere from quickly escaping into space, and because it is geologically dead so the lost gases are not replenished.
The Earth is much more massive than the Moon, so the Earth's atmosphere leaks into space much more slowly. Also, the Earth is geologically and biologically active, which produces gases to make up for the gases lost to space.

Answer 2

The Earth may only have one Moon, but it's a big one! The Earth's Moon is the fifth largest in the whole solar system. But it is still smaller than the Earth, so objects weigh less on the Moon than they do here. That's why the astronauts could enjoy bouncing around on the lunar surface.
Even though the Moon has no liquid water, it does have special "seas" and "land" on its surface. There are also many interesting features such as craters, mountain ranges, and lava plains. The interior of the Moon is made up of different layers of rock, some solid and some molten like lava. By studying the Moon's surface and interior, geologists can learn about the Moon's geological history and its formation.

The footprints left behind by the Apollo astronauts will last for many thousands of years because there is no wind on the Moon. The Moon has no atmosphere, so there is no weather to erase the footprints. On the Earth, the atmosphere acts as a blanket, keeping the warmth of the Sun in even at night. Because there is no atmosphere on the Moon, the temperatures there are very hot during the day (100 ° C) and very cold at night (-173 ° C).

The Moon doesn't produce its own light, but looks bright because it reflects light from the Sun. Think of the Sun as a light bulb, and the Moon as a mirror, reflecting light from the light bulb. The lunar phase changes as the Moon orbits the Earth and different portions of its surface are illuminated by the Sun.

Answer 3

The definition of a moon ios something that goes around a planet. One moon in the solar system has an atmosphere 45% denser thasn Earth's: Titan. You won't want to breathe it, as it is N2, NH3, CH4, and a variety of other things you might find coming out the exhaust of a badly tuned car. All at a temperature of -290F. Several moons have extremely thin atmospheres, including Triton, Io, etc.

Answer 4

sorry i dont know the theorem and all that stuff.. hehehehe.. but logically speaking... Atmosphere is made of gases... And these gases are either created on the planet(like gas that comes outta the earth) and the ones that are trapped by gravity.. Like how earth got its water... Moon's too weak so its gravity aint soo much so it did not attract so much of gases towards itself...
But may be it you go to the moon and start pumping out air then i think you might create an atmosphere... unless the earth dose not attract it...

Answer 5

the moon does have an atmosphere, it is just very thin. earth has a heavy atmosphere because we have a heavy gravity. the moon has little gravity and therefore has less of an atmosphere. now thats not a rule for all planets but is true for the moon. also the moon cant replenish its atmosphere, i dont even think the satellite has a sizeable core let alone much else but dust.

Answer 6

It doesn't have a sizable enough magnetic field to protect it from solar winds. Without our magnetic field on earth, solar winds would eventually strip our atmosphere away.

Overall mass will play a role as well. But the composition of the moon doesn't include any materials that exist in a gas state at the temperature the moon is at.

Answer 7

the magnetic field does not take away solar winds, magnetism is only affected through electricity and magnetic pull. solar winds have neither, the magnetic field may pull away gamma rays and other radioactive particles which affect the atmosphere. the moon doesnt have a magnetic field because it's so cold at one side that the gas would condense, and then the other gas molecules would transfer to the cold side and freeze.

Answer 8

My answer is not as good as that other girls, but I think the moon is too small to hold an atmosphere.

Answer 9

screw the equipatition theroroem. The moon ain't got no atmosphere, cause it gots insufficient gravity to hold it in.

Answer 10

Because there is nothing to hold it there because of the low gravity and there are no gas producing entities
(No plants or people)