[Jim Colyer]

If the moon's gravity is strong enough to cause the tides, why does it not rip away earth's lighter atmosphere?

Astronomy http://jimcolyer.com/papers/entry?id=2

[RascalPuff]

Originally Posted by Jim Colyer If the moon's gravity is strong enough to cause the tides, why does it not rip away earth's lighter atmosphere? Astronomy http://jimcolyer.com/papers/entry?id=2

Dear Jim:
The moon effects aquatic, terrestrial and atmospheric tides, indeed, these plateaus of material do indeed display heaves and sighs - as to why the more tenuous atmosphere isn't ripped away, well. I really don't know why...

(Maybe it is, and keeps being replenished by the ocean and the earth's flora and fauna?)

IMO, very good post.

Welcome to ToeQuest.

Regards,
- RP

[mkirkpatrick]

Originally Posted by Jim Colyer If the moon's gravity is strong enough to cause the tides, why does it not rip away earth's lighter atmosphere? Astronomy http://jimcolyer.com/papers/entry?id=2

That's a good question Jim,btw,welcome to the toequest community,prehaps the
atmosphere is too etherial for the moon to gain purchase on?



regards michael.

[bottomlander]

Originally Posted by Jim Colyer If the moon's gravity is strong enough to cause the tides, why does it not rip away earth's lighter atmosphere?

We know that every molecule of the atmosphere are of higher individual speeds (actual atomic speeds) than that their group speeds (wind speeds).

The actual temperatures in the upper atmosphere are much higher than the room temperatures in the lower atmosphere. And the speeds and directions of individual air molecules are of random/statistical distribution. That means even though without the presence of the Moon, some molecules have already tried to run away from the Earth. Perhaps part of them were successful, while most of them recaptured by the Earth. I don't know the exact relative scales of the runaway speed for an object. But it seems that there is also the replenishments from the ocean water, the volcano vapor and the meteoric gas. Only when the loss is greater than the gain, then our atmosphere will gradually diminish. Just like what happened to the Mars.

So, I think, the run away really increased a little by the pull from the gravity of the moon, but not too obvious.

Best Regards. Bottomlander

[quanta07]

Originally Posted by Jim Colyer If the moon's gravity is strong enough to cause the tides, why does it not rip away earth's lighter atmosphere?

Welcome Jim,
Both the earth and moon have a spherical acceleration fields, 'gravity'.
If we examine a line from earth center to moon center, along this line the moons gravity has maximum effect.
Where this line intersects earth surface,
there is a reduction in intensity of acceleration at this point,
Earth 'gravity' is weakened.
This results in a 'rising' of sea level and a 'bulging' of upper atmosphere surface as the moon is directly overhead.
The presence of the moon reduces the effects of earth 'gravity', while passing overhead, creating sea swells that follow the moons orbital position, tides.
This effect is constant and slow, with no intense changes, no ripping just a bulge.
Happy Thoughts....Q7