Question

why atmosphere(AIR, gases, clouds etc..) are not escaping into space...

Answer 1

think!?..

i ll give you clue.. Moon doesn't have an atmosphere..!!

Answer 2

I would say it is because of gravity, but that is incomplete. Atmospheric gas molecules are in constant motion. The Earth's gravity does indeed capture and hold onto those that do not have enough velocity to escape (for Earth: 11.2 km/s) and break the bonds of gravity.

Answer 3

Air has a mass. Because of this, gravity has an effect on it. Therefore, the gravity is holding the air from escaping into space

Answer 4

Hope this helps you, the answer to your question is gravity, but I would advice you to read more about it because it is important to learn more on these things.

Answer 5

earth has atmosphere that's means matter with some potential. space has no atmosphere. that means zero potential. As according to classical mechanics matter always try to move from higher potential to lower potential. But not even a bit of molecule is not escaping.

Answer 6

yes, that is because of gravity that is holding them from escaping to space.

Answer 7

you got the potential concept wrong buddy

consider only earth to be in the universe for simplicity
if you are at infinty then you are at zero gravitational potential rght?

if you are at any distance from earth into the finite universe you would have a NEGATIVE potential.. which means your potential has DECREASED

as you keep coming closer and closer to earth .. your potential decreases.. and you are right.. things always tend to move from HIGH potential to LOW potential
and thats why you would keep going towards earth.. cause when you are farther away from earth you are at higher potential..

Answer 8

I just got a fan, thats totally awesome

Answer 9

haha good for you buddy :D

Answer 10

helping people in here, makes me feel like i am doing a good favor for others

Answer 11

yea probably next life you ll be born as a phoenix :D

Answer 12

lol, exactly

Answer 13

@Mashy did you mean getting into space is just like travelling into higher potential.

Answer 14

thats right.. going into space is like going to a HIGHER potential.. and thats why you need ENERGY to do that..

but coming from space to earth is going from HIGHER to LOWER.. so thats natural tendency..so you wouldn't need to do any work so no need to have energy :P

Answer 15

if there is some potential there should also be some energy causing that potential. then what energy caused higher potential in space. Eg: if i wish to pump water onto top of building I need rotational energy causing potential for the water to come from tap.
im sorry if I trouble you. im not good at English.

Answer 16

well..

look at it this way

you are on earth.. you decide to go so far into space.. as far as the moon
you ll spend energy right?.. somehow (maybe you are superman and you can fly.. or maybe you use rocket or whatever.. you HAVE TO use energy)

now where does that energy go? :D.. that energy is converted into your potential energy!. get it?

cause gravity is a conservative force.. so when you do work against gravity its gets stored up as your potential!

just like if you have a rubberband.. and you stretch it.. you are doing work in stretching right?.. where does all that energy you put in go?? it goes and gets stored up into the rubber band and when you leave it.. it comes back to normal (elastic potential)

Answer 17

yes you are right @Mashy . If I stretch a rubber band my energy from hand and fingers transferred to elastic potential. It is all about energy conversion. But my doubt is, what is that energy caused the potential in space. as if I stretch a rubber band im the cause for the rubber band to attain elastic potential. as just now you said space is a higher potential region.

Answer 18

i told you

you need to use some energy to go to higher potential..

say you use a rocket.. lets say for simplicity.. that the rocket is such that, all the fuel gets burnt up quickly all at once.. and gives you like a huge impulse.. and shoots your rocket upwards.

so lets consider energy conservation now

initially all energy present in fuel (chemical energy)
then combustion takes place and all of it instantly gets converted into kinetic energy (instantly for simplicity sake)
so your rocket now BLASTS OFF.. but it ll keep slowing down right??? (just like you throwing a pen upward.. it slows down)

so when the rocket is slowing down its K.E is reducing.. where is it going?!?? its getting stored up as the rockets Gravitational P.E.. ultimately K.E becomes zero.. thats when all the K.E is converted into P.E

hope that helps :)

Answer 19

thanks @Mashy

Answer 20

no problem ;-)!