Why doesn't the sky fall?

[Bill Glaze]

Why isn't the sky always booming?  Bill

randy10926 at comcast.net wrote:

> Air molecules are never at rest. They undergo constant random thermal 
> motions of a variety of types. The simplest type is that of uniform 
> translation. The mean speed is about 500 m/s which is greater than the 
> speed of sound (340 m/s).
>  
> Randy
>  
>
>     -------------- Original message --------------
>     I thought it was time to stir the pot while we wait for the
>     results from the Worlds.
>     Can anyone explain why gravity doesn't pull all the air molecules
>     down to earth?  Are they lighter than space?  What is their mean
>     speed?
>     I don't think this will help answer the weathervaning question and
>     won't help us fly any better but I thought it might be fun.
>     Jim O
>
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