163k views
3 votes
What makes up Mercury’s thin atmosphere?

User Noon Time
by
8.0k points

1 Answer

3 votes

Mercury's atmosphere contains small amounts of hydrogen, helium, and oxygen. It also has even tinier amounts of sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. Some of the gas particles come from the solar wind. Others are made by radioactive decay or when micrometeorites smash into the surface.

User Farrah
by
7.2k points