SHISHKABOB said:okay so basically gases are made up of a bunch of tiny particles called molecules
these molecules are not just sitting around not moving, they are indeed moving around quite a bit
the speed at which they are moving around is directly related to the *temperature* of the gas
if the gas is higher, then there is more energy in the gas, and so the particles are going to moving around faster
however, all of the particles are not moving around at the same speed. Some are moving faster than others, some slower, and there is an average speed. It looks like a Bell Curve *sort of*.
So basically, there is some small fraction of the molecules that is moving *way faster* than the rest of the molecules. Since the velocity of the molecule is influenced by mass, this means the lightest molecules will have a better chance of getting *really really* fast.
And so, there are some molecules way up at the top of the atmosphere that are going fast enough to escape the Earth's gravitational pull. These molecules would be Hydrogen and Helium most likely because they weigh the least.
And so yeah, the gas in the atmosphere acts very much like the water in the ocean. Except there's no "surface" to the atmosphere because gas molecules are not attracted to one another as much as liquid molecules are.
In fact, I'm pretty sure that the molecules in a gas are not connected whatsoever. While the molecules in a liquid have a little bit of a bond. I don't know very much about the specifics of that, though.
Gas molecules zip around totally free and collide with one another. The energy giving the molecules their motion is related to the temperature of the gas.
hopefully some of that helps
Gas molecules have very low mass and are constantly moving at high speeds, making it difficult for gravity to have a significant effect on their motion. Additionally, the Earth's atmosphere is constantly moving and mixing, which helps to distribute gas molecules throughout the air instead of allowing them to settle to the ground.
The motion of gas molecules is not just random, but is also influenced by other forces such as air pressure and temperature. These forces help to keep gas molecules suspended in the air by creating a balance between the upward motion caused by their high speed and the downward motion caused by gravity.
Under certain conditions, such as in a closed container or in a very dense atmosphere, gases can be pulled to the ground by gravity. This is because there is less space for the gas molecules to move around and the force of gravity becomes more dominant.
While the motion of gas molecules is not directly affected by gravity, the weight of a gas is still determined by its mass. Heavier gases, such as carbon dioxide, have more mass per molecule compared to lighter gases, such as helium, which makes them more resistant to being moved by other forces such as air pressure.
Gravity plays a role in the overall structure and behavior of the Earth's atmosphere. It helps to maintain a balance between the different layers of the atmosphere and influences the movement of air masses and weather patterns. However, the direct effect of gravity on individual gas molecules is minimal due to their low mass and constant motion.