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Rev

$\begingroup$ Please visit this page, this page and this ‎one on how to make your future posts better.‎ || I like the "prey" analogy, but I believe the $\ce{H2}$ will be the prey and hydroxide anions the predator. $\endgroup$
– M.A.R.
Commented Aug 16, 2015 at 16:24
2

$\begingroup$ Your point about buoancy is not really true on geologic time scales. Early in Earth's history, large amounts of hydrogen (H2) gas were lost to space. The process continues today albeit at far lower rates. Even so, the rate of H2 loss to space far larger than say N2 or O2 loss to space. $\endgroup$
– Curt F.
Commented Aug 16, 2015 at 19:04
$\begingroup$ en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmospheric_escape - Yeah hydrogen and helium do escape albeit in little amounts $\endgroup$
– Mithoron
Commented Aug 16, 2015 at 20:26
4

$\begingroup$ Has nothing to do with buoancy. The speed of H2 molecules( or He) in the upper atmosphere is above the escape velocity. He and H2 have a net flow upwards because of diffusion in the ensuing concentration gradient. $\endgroup$
– Karl
Commented Aug 17, 2015 at 0:31
2

$\begingroup$ No, it just diffuses up there. As it can't diffuse back (it's destroyed up there), there is a net flow upwards. An entropy gradient drives it up, not one in potential energy. $\endgroup$
– Karl
Commented Aug 17, 2015 at 9:25

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