Is the Earth and it`s atmosphere losing or gaining mass?
Atmospheric molecules jostle around, some perhaps attaining escape velocity, balanced against new molecules released into the atmosphere by natural and man-made means. Many of the released molecules are recycled in plant life and then animal life, but some are laid down on land and in the sea, a reservoir of potential gasses not unlike fossil fuel. Fossil fuels are released in large quantities but the CO2 in these can be recycled or converted into solids by plants. Is it possible to assess if the atmosphere is becoming more or less dense? It probably is changing very slightly. The Earth is definitely increasing in mass due to millions of tiny meteors striking it every day. The Earth can be any weight and orbit the Sun at its present distance, however the tidal effect between Earth and Moon will be influenced by increased mass due to meteors, so their common centre of gravity orbiting the Sun might be very slightly altered by a disproportionate increase in mass in favour of the Earth.
