Tutorial-1

CE4011: Introduction to Atmospheric and Climate Sciences

CE4011: Introduction to Atmospheric and Climate Sciences Tutorial-1 February 13, 2023 1 / 12
 Chemical composition

Table: Fractional concentrations by volume of the major gaseous constituents of the Earth’s
atmosphere up to an altitude of 105 km, with respect to dry air
Fractional concentration
Constituent Molecular weight
by volume
Nitrogen (N2 ) 28.013 78.08%
Oxygen (O2 ) 32.000 20.95%
Argon (Ar) 39.95 0.93%
Water vapor (H2 O) 18.02 0–5%
Carbon dioxide (CO2 ) 44.01 380 ppm
Neon (Ne) 20.18 18 ppm
Helium (He) 4.00 5 ppm
Methane (CH4 ) 16.04 1.75 ppm
Krypton (Kr) 83.80 1 ppm
Hydrogen (H2 ) 2.02 0.5 ppm
Nitrous oxide (N2 O) 56.03 0.3 ppm
Ozone (O3 ) 48.00 0–0.1 ppm

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 Units for chemical composition

Mixing ratio by volume (CX ): the number of moles of x per mole of air.

It is the most common unit for expressing the abundance of gases in the air.

Units: mol/mol or v/v(volume of gas/volume of air)

1ppmv = 10−6 mol/mol

1ppbv = 10−9 mol/mol

1pptv = 10−12 mol/mol

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 Number density (nX ): number of molecules of X per unit volume of air.

units: molecules/m3

Mass concentration (ρX ): number of molecules of X per unit volume of air.

unit: mass of X / volume of air

1mg/m3 =10−3 g/m3

1µg/m3 =10−6 g/m3

1ng/m3 =10−9 g/m3

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 Questions

Problem 1
If the mixing ratio of C02 in the atmosphere is 354 ppmv, how many C02 molecules
are there in 1 m3 of air at 1 atm and 0°C?

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 Conversion of units

nx = Cx na (1)
The number density of air is related to the atmospheric pressure P by the ideal gas
law. The ideal gas law gives
PV = NR ∗ T (2)
where R∗ = 8.31 J mol−1 K−1 is the gas constant.
The number density of air is related to N and V by

Av .N
na = (3)
V
where Av = 6.023x1023 molecules mol−1 is Avogadro’s number.

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 Av .P
na = (4)
RT
and hence
Av .P
nx = CX (5)
RT
ρX and nX are related by the molecular weight MX (kg mol−1 ) of the gas:

nX .MX
ρX = (6)
Av

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 Questions

Problem 2
Calculate the molecular weight of dry air and gas constant for 1 kg of dry air.
Comment on molecular weight and gas constant of moist air compared to dry air

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 Questions

Problem 3
Determine the apparent molecular weight of the Venusian atmosphere, assuming
that it consists of 95% of CO2 and 5% N2 by volume. What is the gas constant for 1 kg
of such an atmosphere? (Atomic weights of C, O, and N are 12, 16, and 14,
respectively.)

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 Virtual Temperature

Virtual temperature: the temperature that dry air would have if its pressure and
density were equal to those of a given sample of moist air.

T
TV = e (7)
1− p (1 − ε)

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 Hydrostatic equation

ρa gAdz = (P(z)–P(z + dz))A (8)

dp
= −ρa g (9)
dz

Ma .g
P(z) = P(0).e− RT
Z
(10)
Figure: Vertical forces acting on an elementary RT
slab of atmosphere H= (11)
Ma .g

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 Questions

Problem 4
On Mars the atmosphere is mainly CO2 , the temperature is 220 K, and the
acceleration of gravity is 3.7 m s−2 . What is the scale height of the Martian
atmosphere? Compare to the scale height of the Earth’s atmosphere.

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 Answer
problem 1 - 9.52 X 1021 molecule/m3
problem 2 - 28.97 g mol−1 ,287 J K−1 Kg−1
problem 3 - 43.2 g mol−1 , 192.46J K−1 Kg−1
problem 4 - 11.2 kms

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