Atmosphere of Mercury

High school (ages 12+)
Space & Astronomy

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/atmosphere-of-mercury

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the exospheric composition?Primarily hydrogen, helium, oxygen, sodium, calcium, potassium, with trace water vapor
2. What is the atmospheric pressure?Extremely low, approximately 10−14 bar (1 nPa)
3. Does Mercury have an atmosphere?Yes, Mercury has a very thin atmosphere called an exosphere. It is so thin that it is almost a vacuum compared to Earth's atmosphere.
4. What kinds of gases are in Mercury's exosphere?The exosphere contains hydrogen, helium, oxygen, sodium, calcium, potassium, and a little water vapor. These atoms are not stuck to the planet and can escape quickly.

Surface-bound exosphere: The outermost, extremely diffuse layer of a planet's atmosphere, characterized by low particle density and high escape rates.
Solar wind: A continuous stream of energetic charged particles emanating from the Sun, significantly influencing planetary magnetospheres and atmospheres.
Solar radiation pressure: The force exerted by photons from the Sun on atmospheric particles, capable of pushing them away from the Sun.
Sputtering: The ejection of atoms from a solid surface due to bombardment by energetic ions or neutral particles.