Lecture 1

Question 1

What is the atmosphere?

Answer 1

The gaseous envelope that surrounds a planet. The spherical shell.

Question 2

What is a mixing ratio?

Answer 2

A measure of atmospheric composition (Pv=nRT)

Question 3

What is the ideal gas law used for?

Answer 3

To find the relationship between volume ratio and mole ratio. (Pv=nRT)

Question 4

TRUE or FALSE
To increase pressure you need to increase the n (mass)

Answer 4

True

Question 5

When can you use the gas law?

Answer 5

You can only use with low pressure or high temperature (both or either)

Question 6

Mean free path?

Answer 6

The distance between the collision of molecules

Question 7

What is the mass of the atmosphere?

Answer 7

5.1x10^18 kg
5.1x10615 tonnes

Question 8

Where does the majority of the mass lie within the atmosphere?

Answer 8

99% lies within 30km of the surface (due to gravity)

99.999% lies within 80km of the surface

Question 9

Where is density and pressure lowest in the atmosphere?

Answer 9

Further up

Question 10

Layers to the atmosphere?

Answer 10

Innermost > troposphere
Stratosphere
Mesosphere
Outermost > Ionosphere

Question 11

Chemical composition of the atmosphere?

Answer 11

Homosphere and heterosphere

Question 12

What is homosphere?

Answer 12

0-80km Air is essentially homogeneous. Convection and wind cause mixture

Question 13

What is heterosphere?

Answer 13

80km not well mixed, seperated by weight.

Question 14

Atmospheres temperature in order?

Answer 14

Troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere

Question 15

Atmospheres electrical conductivity in order?

Answer 15

Magnetosphere, ionosphere, regular atmosphere

Question 16

Atmospheres pressure?

Answer 16

High density, low density, very-low density

Question 17

where is 99% of the total mass of the atmosphere located?

Answer 17

within 30km of earths surface

Question 18

What is lapse rate?

Answer 18

Rate at which temperature changes with altitude.
DALR = -dT/dz