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Q9.1(b):
Explain why (b) Atmospheric pressure at a height of about (6\text{ km}) decreases to nearly half of its value at the sea level, though the height of the atmosphere is more than (100\text{ km})

Solution :

1. Theoretical Foundation: The Barometric Law

The variation of atmospheric pressure $P$ with height $h$ is governed by the hydrostatic equilibrium of a fluid column. In a static atmosphere, the pressure gradient is defined by the weight of the air column per unit area [Per the Hydrostatic Equilibrium Principle]:

$$\frac{dP}{dh} = -\rho g$$

where $\rho$ is the density of air and $g$ is the acceleration due to gravity. Assuming the atmosphere behaves as an ideal gas [Per the Ideal Gas Law $PV = nRT$], the density $\rho$ is directly proportional to the pressure $P$ at a constant temperature $T$:

$$\rho = \frac{PM}{RT}$$

Substituting this into the pressure gradient equation yields the exponential decay function:

$$P(h) = P_0 e^{-\frac{Mgh}{RT}}$$

2. Analysis of the Exponential Decay

The relationship indicates that atmospheric pressure does not decrease linearly with height. Instead, it follows a negative exponential curve. The constant $H = \frac{RT}{Mg}$ (the scale height) represents the height at which the pressure decreases by a factor of $1/e \approx 0.37$.

Height (h) Pressure (P) P(h) = Pâ‚€e^(-h/H)

3. Data Comparison: Density vs. Height

The rapid decrease in pressure at lower altitudes is primarily due to the high compressibility of air. Unlike liquids, which have nearly constant density, the density of air drops sharply as we move away from the Earth's surface.

Altitude (km) Relative Pressure ($P/P_0$) Physical Justification
0 1.0 Maximum weight of overlying air column.
6 $\approx 0.5$ High density compressed by gravity.
100 $\approx 0.00003$ Extreme rarefaction of air molecules.

4. Logical Synthesis

The assertion that the atmosphere extends beyond $100\text{ km}$ does not contradict the pressure drop at $6\text{ km}$ because:

  • Compressibility: The lower atmosphere (troposphere) contains approximately $80\%$ of the total atmospheric mass within the first $10\text{--}15\text{ km}$ due to gravitational compaction [Per Newton’s Law of Universal Gravitation].
  • Non-Linearity: Because $P(h)$ decreases exponentially, the majority of the pressure drop occurs where the density is highest. By the time one reaches the thermosphere ($>80\text{ km}$), the air is so rarefied that the change in pressure per unit height is negligible, even though the geometric height is large.
  • Conclusion: The "half-pressure" point is reached early because the vast majority of the air molecules are concentrated near the surface. The remaining $94\text{ km}$ of atmosphere consists of a very diffuse gas that exerts minimal additional pressure on the Earth's surface.

Final Solution: Atmospheric pressure decreases exponentially with height because air is highly compressible. Since the density of air is greatest near the Earth's surface, more than $50\%$ of the atmospheric mass is concentrated in the lowest $6\text{ km}$, causing the pressure to drop by half in that region, while the remaining atmosphere up to $100\text{ km}$ is extremely rarefied.


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