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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Ding, ding, ding!! We've got some really smart guys
on this list.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>The air molecules are constantly colliding with
each other in perfect elastic collisions so they don't slow down. They are
light so you don't feel them hit your skin but the combined effect is to
create the pressure that keeps us together.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Jim O</FONT></DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=randy10926@comcast.net
href="mailto:randy10926@comcast.net">randy10926@comcast.net</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=discussion@nsrca.org
href="mailto:discussion@nsrca.org">discussion@nsrca.org</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Monday, August 15, 2005 2:22
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Why doesn't the sky
fall?</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>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). </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Randy</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>I thought it was time to stir the pot
while we wait for the results from the Worlds.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>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?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>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.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Jim
O</FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>