Yahoo Answers is shutting down on May 4th, 2021 (Eastern Time) and the Yahoo Answers website is now in read-only mode. There will be no changes to other Yahoo properties or services, or your Yahoo account. You can find more information about the Yahoo Answers shutdown and how to download your data on this help page.

Nata T
Lv 6
Nata T asked in EnvironmentGlobal Warming · 1 decade ago

Does the mechanism that causes the earth to lose H2 also cause the earth to lose N2 and O2 and increase CO2?

Update:

gcnp58, could you show us your work that says H2O, N2 and O2 can not escape? Which equations did you use Jeans'?

1 Answer

Relevance
  • gcnp58
    Lv 7
    1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    No. The escape velocity is too high compared to the average speed of N2 and O2 molecules.

    CO2 is increasing because humans are burning fossil fuels. Move on.

    Edit: I didn't say they can't escape, I said the escape velocity is too high relative to the average speed of N2 and O2 molecules. This is atmospheric science 101. See here:

    http://www.astro.washington.edu/users/larson/Astro...

    As an aside, this is why skeptics get ignored. They continually revisit known physics and act as if atmospheric scientists have never considered them before. This question was settled before I was born, the average velocity of N2 and O2 is too low for them to escape to space. If you don't believe me, run the worksheet yourself above. The bottom line is that you are barking up a wrong tree, the increase in CO2 in the atmosphere is not due to other gases being removed through escape to space.

    Move on.

Still have questions? Get your answers by asking now.