What can contribute to a planet losing its atmosphere?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Thermal escape, large impacts, and solar wind stripping are all factors that can contribute to a planet losing its atmosphere. Thermal escape occurs when molecules in the atmosphere reach high enough speeds to escape a planet's gravitational pull. Large impacts can knock off significant amounts of atmosphere, and solar wind stripping involves the stripping away of atmospheric particles by high-energy particles from the Sun.

What Can Contribute to a Planet Losing Its Atmosphere