Why doesn’t the atmosphere (air we breathe) just float off into space?
Some objects in space have atmospheres like Earth and Jupiter. Others like asteroids and the moon don’t have an atmosphere.
Why doesn’t earth atmosphere just drift away into space?
What am I missing about the concept of atmosphere?
In: Planetary Science
gravity.
The moon and many planets do have atmospheres. Earth’s atmosphere has many layers, whereas the moons is just one thin layer called the exosphere (outermost layer) same goes for Mercury which you’d practically say has no atmosphere.
Earth’s atmosphere also has an exosphere.
Since gases have different densities, different size planets with varying degrees of gravity will hold onto certain gases that another can’t.
if you’re very close to a star (like an asteroid might pass) then the heat could burn off those gases, or solar winds could blow them away etc. and you’re left with “no atmosphere” or maybe just a very thin one.
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