If enough heat is applied to an object, will it reach escape speed?

In summary, the conversation discusses the relation of heat and speed of molecules inside an object to escape velocity. It is mentioned that applying heat will not change the speed of the object, but heated gas can become more dilated and potentially escape depending on the mass of the planet. The concept of thermionic emission is brought up as an analogy. The conversation also touches on the idea of molecules in Titan's atmosphere reaching escape velocity and evaporating, but it is pointed out that this does not make sense since Titan's atmosphere is made of gas.
  • #36
“Too much” of anything is bad for you; Because it implies “too much to be good”.
Remon said:
If enough heat is applied to an object, will it reach escape speed?
The simple answer is YES. That is because in the context of the OP title question, the term “enough” implies “sufficient to reach escape velocity”.

The question then becomes “how much is enough”, to which the answer comes down to a specification; do the molecules or atoms need to actually reach free space, or is escape velocity acceptable even though it is only for the few millimetres to the next collision. Another specification is; “how long you must maintain the heat”.

The plasma in the Earth's ionosphere is hot enough and high enough to escape into space. A small proportion of the ionosphere is lost to space each day.
 
Science news on Phys.org
  • #37
davenn said:
No ... escape they DO as Integral said

present tense. Hydrogen ( and possibly Helium) is still being produce naturally and is still escaping


Dave

Uhh no, there is almost no H and He in our atmosphere. There could have been before, but now there is almost nothing. You are taking things too literally
 
  • #38
gabriel.dac said:
Uhh no, there is almost no H and He in our atmosphere. There could have been before, but now there is almost nothing. You are taking things too literally


uhhh yes...
do some geology 101

hydrogen and hydrogen mixes and other gasses are being released continuously by volcanic eruptions and other general volcanic activity

Volcanic Gases

An erupting volcano will release gases, tephra, and heat into the atmosphere. The largest portion of gases released into the atmosphere is water vapor. Other gases include carbon dioxide (CO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), hydrochloric acid (HCl), hydrogen fluoride (HF), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen gas (H2), NH3, methane (CH4), and SiF4.


Dave
 
Last edited:
Back
Top