Concept Test 7

Question 1

On the Internet at Indiana State University in AST-473 Upper Air Weather Dynamics it was stated: "Estmated temperatures [at 55 miles are] as high as 1370C however, due to the very thin air, the lack of molecular activity results in temperature being much colder than that found at the Earth's surface." On the face of it this statement is:

a. Nonsence.
b. Quite true.

Reason for Answer:

Question 2

If the temperature of the atmosphere drops with height above the earth how is it that there is a temperature inversion (a higher temperature) in the neighborhood of 20-50 kilometers?

a. It is because of sunlight being absorbed by molecules and the fact that the density of molecules decreases with altitude.
b. It is because of sunlight being absorbed by molecules and the fact that this energy is converted to kinetic energy.
c. It is because of exothermic chemical reactions by molecules..

Reason for Answer:

Question 3

It is said that the temperature in the stratosphere is 950C at an altitude of 300Km.

If you were to stick your hand out a window of the space shuttle at that altitude, after the great sucking sound, would your hand feel hot or cold-assuming you still had any feeling left? In other words, what is meant by the temperature of the thermosphere?

a. Hot. After all, the temperature is 950C.
b. Cold. I do not care what they say about "temperature" at 300Km my hand will radiate into the coldness of space and therefore feel cold.
c. No change. The heat capacity of my hand is 1 calorie per gram (about that of water) and the heat capacity of the virtual vacuum at 300Km is nil so there will not be time to establish equilibrium even though there is a huge volume containing molecules.

Reason for Answer:

Question 4

The sun radiates energy like a blackbody at a temperature of 5783K. The distribution of radiation at the top of the atmosphere is shown in the figure below. If we express the radiation from the sun in units of kilojoules per mole the radiation is predominatly in the energy range from 60 Kj/mol (2000 nanometers) to 600 Kj/mol (200 nm). For a table of energy conversion factors click here.

The following table show the energies of dissociation of a number of molecules. Which molecules will be affected by solar radiation? Check all that apply.

Molecule	Dissociation Energy Kj/mol	Process
Nitrogen	1171	N_2 -> N + N
Oxygen	490.1	O_2 -> O + O
Ozone	100	O_3 -> O_2 + O
Nitric Oxide	626.8	NO -> N + O
Hydroxyl Radical	419.7	OH -> H + O
CO	881.9	CO -> C + O
CO_2	531.1	CO_2 -> C0 + O
H_2O	491.4	H_2O -> H + OH

Molecular Nitrogen.
Molecular Oxygen.
Ozone.
Nitric Oxide.
Hydroxyl Radical.
Carbon Monoxide.
Carbon Dioxide.
Water.

Reason for Answer:

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