If the surface air pressure is 1000 mb and the pressure at the top of the atmosphere (75 km) is 0 mb, at what altitude would I find half of the atmosphere air pressure?

Question

Zack Silva

Physics

31 December, 03:42

If the surface air pressure is 1000 mb and the pressure at the top of the atmosphere (75 km) is 0 mb, at what altitude would I find half of the atmosphere air pressure?

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Answers (1)

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Elyse · Answer 1

Answer: 5.5km

Explanation:

Atmospheric pressure will be 500 mb (that is half of the total 1000mb air pressure).

Pressure decreases with increasing altitude. This is because at At higher altitudes, there are fewer air molecules above a the known or given surface than a similar surface at lower levels.

Pressure decreasing with higher altitudes also means that air pressure decreases rapidly at lowerevels but more slowly at higher levels.

It is also known that more than half of the atmospheric molecules are located below 5.5 km (that is atmospheric pressure decreases within the lowest 5.5 km to about fifty (50) percent (that is 500 millibar).