received from someone the following facts, I would have been very happy and would not have needed to ask such 'silly' questions.

1) Although the Earth's atmosphere has a large quantity of molecules, that quantity is not unlimited.
2) The Earth's atmosphere contains a very large quantity of 'kinetic' energy in various forms.
3) The source for these atmospheric 'kinetic' energies includes all 'forces' that can make the air molecules move or accelerate their motion.
4) Some of the 'forces' that can make air molecules move include the 'rays' from the Sun and the cosmos beyond the Earth.
5) The forces that originate on Earth and can accelerate the motion of air molecules, include radioactivity, chemical activity, and mechanical activity.
6) The force of 'gravity' holds the air molecules to the vicinity of the planet.
7) If a 'particle' (molecule or atom) of air has been 'heated' to a velocity of seven (7) miles per second or more, the molecules CAN 'escape' the Earth's gravitational field.
8) There are fewer air molecules per cubic meter in the upper atmosphere than there are in the lower atmosphere.
9) The lower the 'density' of the gas, the higher the linear velocity of the molecules can be.
10) Heat is a form of energy associated with the motion of atoms or molecules and capable of being transmitted through solid and fluid media by conduction, through fluid media by convection, and through empty space by radiation.
11) The air pressure at sea level is approximately equal to 1.01325 × 10^5 newtons per square meter.
12) If the atmospheric particles that exist in the thermosphere 'escape' the Earth's gravitational field, then that 'loss' represents the loss of mass as well as energy from the Earth's atmosphere.
13) If the air particles escape at the higher altitude (thermosphere), then in order to keep the 'normal balance' of atmospheric particles at that altitude, the lost particles must be replaced by some method. The 'replacements' can come from the Sun in the form of various 'charged' particles, sometimes called nucleons or ions. Also the 'replacements' can come from the lower atmosphere, the pressure from the lower levels simply 'pushes' the atoms into the 'void' created by the 'escaping' particles. If there is a very large quantity of 'particle loss' from the upper atmosphere, then there will also be a proportional decrease of particles at the lower atmosphere; less the quantity supplied by the Sun. If the Sun supplies as many particles to the Earth as is 'removed' from the Earth, then there is a 'balance' that may last as long as the Sun shines. If on the other hand there is more going out than coming in (like my bank account) :-( then eventually all the particles will be lost into space. It may take billions of years to get to a point where life would be difficult on the planet. But still it would be interesting to know IF there is a 'loss' of the atmosphere.
14) Depending on the quantity of 'particle loss' and the sensitivity of the instruments used, it may be possible to measure the quantity of the particle loss.
15) It may be possible to observe and measure the amount of 'mass' that reaches the Earth from the Sun.
16) It may be possible to figure out whether the Earth's 'mass' and energy 'account' is in balance or not.

Other information that I found useful.

gamma ray (gàm¹e rA) noun
Electromagnetic radiation emitted by radioactive decay and having energies in a range from ten thousand (10^4) to ten million (10^7) electron volts.

The gamma photons can have more than million times the energy of infrared photons

From R.L. -- energy needed to heat atmosphere 1 degree is 5*10^21 Joules

Nuclear power provided over 2300TWh of electrical energy in 1996.

One question that I still have is: How energy efficient are the nuclear power plants, in other words, when the 'potential' energy of the 'mass' is changed to 'kinetic' energy of 'electricity', how much of the 'total' energy is 'lost' to the environment?

I thank all of you for your valiant efforts to teach me the proper conduct that must be used on this space bbs, I will try to abide by them.
Also I wish to thank Robert L for his undying endeavor to teach the truth that is all around us. (At least the way he understands it.) After all, I did not need to burn my finger with a candle or gamma rays because R.L. Came to the rescue with 'useful information' and saved me from such horrible faith. ;-)
< i > For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise. < /i >
< b > Bible: New Testament. < /b > Paul, in 2 Corinthians 11:19.

That remaining question still bothers me, but not to worry, I will go onward and 'fight those windmills' until I find the truth. :-)

There are other interesting and important things to do, so it may take some time before the 'truth' about that subject surfaces.

Some interesting links that I looked into for information on radioactivity.
http://deploymentlink.osd.mil/du_balkans/du_balkans_refs/n64en073/radiological_kosovo.htm
http://www.radiation.ru/eng/project/xenon.htm
http://www.llnl.gov/str/Baskett.html
http://www.geislavarnir.is/nsfs/paatero2.htm
http://old.jccc.net/~rhammack/figures04.html
http://www.upscale.utoronto.ca/IYearLab/radair.pdf
http://ams.confex.com/ams/annual2001/atchem01/abstracts/17306.htm
http://www.upscale.utoronto.ca/IYearLab/radair.pdf
http://sdg.lcs.mit.edu/~ilya_shl/alex/buld.pdf
http://www.iatp.am/resource/science/eco/precipit.html
http://www.tech-db.ru/istc/db/projects.nsf/prjn/2133
http://www.teleactivities.org/ipmmh/en/monitoring/radioactivity.htm
http://www.llnl.gov/saer/saer98/98pdfs/mv-ch4.pdf
http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf51.htm
Http://www.nrl.moh.govt.nz/Environm%20Rad%20Monitoring%20Prog.html

Thanks again
Johannes