The Size of the Planet Matters
|
Mercury
(small) |
Venus
(medium sized) |
Jupiter
(very large) |
|
|
|
|
| Hydrogen (H) |
less than 1 hour |
days |
over the age of the Universe |
|
|
|
|
| Helium (He) |
roughly 1 day |
100 times the age of the solar system |
over the age of the Universe |
|
|
|
|
| Oxygen (O) |
800 million years |
over the age of the Universe |
over the age of the Universe |
|
|
|
|
This table shows the time it takes, on average, for a few common atmospheric gases to escape the gravity of a planet. The table shows that as the planets get larger (more massive), it is harder for the gases to escape. The table shows that the average time for any gas to escape from Jupiter's gravity is much too long. The same is true for all the Giant planets. Therefore it is likely that all the gases in Uranus' atmosphere are probably the original gases swept up by the proto-Uranus.
Return to atmosphere
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