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Is it true mercury doesnt have enough gravity to have an atmosphere?
Wiki User
∙ 10y ago
Wiki User
∙ 8y agoIt is much smaller than Earth, so has less gravity to hold an atmosphere. Also, its nearness to the Sun means that many molecules have been blasted away by the solar winds (streams of energetic particles from the Sun).
Wiki User
∙ 14y agoMercury has a very thin atmosphere, which is constantly removed by the Sun. It appears to consist of hydrogen, helium, oxygen, sodium, calcium and potassium, and comes from the Sun and the heated surface.
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoMercury has almost no atmosphere. The planet's small size means that its gravity is too weak to hold down a normal atmosphere. There is a very thin atmosphere around the planet. Mercury's thin atmosphere is constantly being "blown away" into space by the pressure of sunlight and by the solar wind. Gases are constantly being added to Mercury's atmosphere, too. That's why it still has any atmosphere at all - even though that atmosphere is really, really thin.
Mercury's atmosphere contains small amounts of hydrogen, helium, and oxygen. It also has even tinier amounts of sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. Some of the gas particles come from the solar wind. Others are made by radioactive decay or when micrometeorites smash into the surface. All of these gases are soon carried away from Mercury by the solar wind and by Mercury's magnetic field. Atmospheric pressure at the planet's surface is less than one trillionth of Earth's (around one nanopascal or 10-14 bar).
Temperatures at the surface range between 100 and 700 kelvins (-280° F to 800° F or -173° C to 427° C). Lead melts at 600 kelvins! This large range in surface temperature is possible because Mercury is so close to the Sun (a year is only 88 Earth days long) and does not have sufficient atmosphere present to moderate the range in surface temperature.
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoBecause it is too small and light. It does not have sufficient gravitational pull (which is proportional to mass) to keep its own atmosphere - the gases just escape.
Wiki User
∙ 10y agoThat is not entirely true. Mercury could hold probably an atmosphere if it had a magnetic field and was farther from the sun.
Wiki User
∙ 11y agovery little atmosphere
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Which planet does not have enough gravity to have an atmosphere?
Nercury
Why does the atmosphere not just float away. Surely gravity isn't strong enough since it doesn't even stop steam rising?
because the gases in our atmosphere are carefully calculated by Jehovah god to help sustain our atmosphere
Why doesnt the mass of most object cause a force large enough to move object toward each other?
it does, gravity just inhibits it most of the time.
A body fallingthrough the atmosphere is a subject of how many forces?
2, Gravity and Friction (aka wind resistance). The body will reach terminal velocity when the air it is passing through creates enough friction so that it equals the force of gravity therefore stopping any further acceleration.
Do rocks have gravity?
Yes. everything with mass has gravity. Something the size of an everyday rock, though, does not have enough mass for its gravity to be noticeable.
Why doesnt mercury have an atmosphere?
One word- gravity. Mercury is just simply not massive enough to generate the gravity required to hold gases close enough to the surface to create an atmosphere.
Why doesnt Mercury suport life?
Mercury does not have enough atmosphere and is too hot / cold to support life.
Does mercury have enough gravity to have an atmosphere?
no, it's way too close to the sun to hold onto an atmosphere without the sun's gravity riping it apart, plus the solar winds are too strong for mercury to hold it's atmosphere.
Which planets have no atmosphere?
Mercury is the smallest of the eight planets, and is the only one not to have an atmosphere. This is due to its small size and close proximity to the sun.
What planet doesn't have enough gravity to have an atmosphere?
Mercury - the closest planet to the sun. Solar wind and radiation from the sun also blast off some of Mercury's minuscule atmosphere (Mercury's atmosphere is sometimes referred to as an exosphere)
What planet doesn't have enough gravity to have an atmosphere.?
Mercury - the closest planet to the sun. Solar wind and radiation from the sun also blast off some of Mercury's minuscule atmosphere (Mercury's atmosphere is sometimes referred to as an exosphere)
What planet doesn't have have enough gravity to an atmosphere?
Mercury - the closest planet to the sun. Solar wind and radiation from the sun also blast off some of Mercury's minuscule atmosphere (Mercury's atmosphere is sometimes referred to as an exosphere)
What holds the Earth's atmosphere in place?
The atmosphere is held in place by the earth's gravity. Gravity is related to mass, the more mass a planet has, the more gravity. A much smaller planet like mercury or a body such as the moon will have less gravity, not enough to hold an atmosphere - the gravity is not strong enough to prevent the gas particles from escaping into space.
What holds the atmosphere to the earth?
The earths gravity. The more mass a body has, the more gravity, The Earth has enough mass to hold an atmosphere. The Moon, on the other hand, is not massive enough, and so does not have a high enough gravity, which prevents it from holding an atmosphere.
Which planet does not have enough gravity to have an atmosphere?
Nercury
If mercury wasn't so close to the sun could it hold an atmosphere Or is it too small?
It's a combination of both. Despite its weak gravity, there would probably be a point, far enough from the Sun, where an atmosphere would be cold enough so that it didn't "evaporate" into space too quickly. But I am not sure how far that would be.
Does mercury have enough ability to support life?
No because mercury has a thin atmosphere
