Why doesn’t the nitrogen in the air float above the oxygen in the atmosphere.
In: Physics
Never underestimate brownian motion. Molecules vibrate. Gas molecules chaotically ricochet around at high speed. An oxygen molecule at room temperature might be moving around 650 miles an hour. Sure, nitrogen molecules might way 12.5% less than nitrogen molecules on average, but all that chaotic motion keeps them well and mixed up.
Even if there weren’t air currents moving up and down, as there are not near as many in the upper atmosphere.
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