/*! This file is auto-generated */ .wp-block-button__link{color:#fff;background-color:#32373c;border-radius:9999px;box-shadow:none;text-decoration:none;padding:calc(.667em + 2px) calc(1.333em + 2px);font-size:1.125em}.wp-block-file__button{background:#32373c;color:#fff;text-decoration:none} Q. 7.55 Suppose that the concentration o... [FREE SOLUTION] | 91Ó°ÊÓ

91Ó°ÊÓ

Suppose that the concentration of infrared-absorbing gases in earth's atmosphere were to double, effectively creating a second "blanket" to warm the surface. Estimate the equilibrium surface temperature of the earth that would result from this catastrophe. (Hint: First show that the lower atmospheric blanket is warmer than the upper one by a factor of 21/4. The surface is warmer than the lower blanket by a smaller factor.)

Short Answer

Expert verified

The temperature of the lower atmosphere blanket is303K.

Step by step solution

01

Step 1. Given information

The below figure shows two blankets of the earth's atmosphere for receiving the energy from the sun.

In the above figure the upper blanket must send one unit of the infrared energy for every unit of energy absorbed from the sun.

02

Step 2. Calculating the temperature of the upper blanket

Let the30%of the solar light is reflected. So, the temperature of the upper blanket is

Tupper=(0.7)solar constant4σ1/4

where, σis the Stefan Boltzmann constant.

Putting1370W/m2for the solar constant and5.67×10-8W/m2K4forσ.

Tupper=(0.70)1370W/m245.67×10-8W/m2K414

=255K

So, the temperature of the upper blanket255K.

03

Step 3. Calculating the temperature of the lower blanket

The temperature of the lower blanket is

Tlower=2(0.7)solar constant4σ1/4

=(2)1/4(0.7)solar constant4σ1/4

PuttingTupperfor(0.7)solar constant4σ1/4we get

Tlower=21/4Tupper

So, the temperature of the lower atmosphere blanket is21/4times of the temperature of the upper atmosphere.

Tlower=21/4(255K)

=303K

Hence, the temperature of the lower atmosphere blanket is303K.

04

Step 4. Calculating the equilibrium surface temperature of the earth 

The temperature of the earth is

Tground=3(0.7)solar constant4σ1/4

=(3)1/4(0.7)solar constant4σ1/4

Putting Tupperfor(0.7)solar constant4σ1/4

Tground=31/4Tupper

Tground=314(255K)

=335.6K

=(335.6-273.15)°C

=62°C

Hence, the equilibrium surface temperature of the earth is62°C.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

  • Full Textbook Solutions

    Get detailed explanations and key concepts

  • Unlimited Al creation

    Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

  • Ads-free access

    To over 500 millions flashcards

  • Money-back guarantee

    We refund you if you fail your exam.

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with 91Ó°ÊÓ!

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Most popular questions from this chapter

Consider a collection of 10,000 atoms of rubidium- 87 , confined inside a box of volume (10-5m)3.

(a) Calculate ε0, the energy of the ground state. (Express your answer in both joules and electron-volts.)

(b) Calculate the condensation temperature, and compare kTctoε0.

(c) Suppose that T=0.9TcHow many atoms are in the ground state? How close is the chemical potential to the ground-state energy? How many atoms are in each of the (threefold-degenerate) first excited states?

(d) Repeat parts (b) and (c) for the case of 106atoms, confined to the same volume. Discuss the conditions under which the number of atoms in the ground state will be much greater than the number in the first excited state.

Consider any two internal states, s1 and s2, of an atom. Let s2 be the higher-energy state, so that Es2-Es1=ϵ for some positive constant. If the atom is currently in state s2, then there is a certain probability per unit time for it to spontaneously decay down to state s1, emitting a photon with energy e. This probability per unit time is called the Einstein A coefficient:

A = probability of spontaneous decay per unit time.

On the other hand, if the atom is currently in state s1 and we shine light on it with frequency f=ϵ/h, then there is a chance that it will absorb photon, jumping into state s2. The probability for this to occur is proportional not only to the amount of time elapsed but also to the intensity of the light, or more precisely, the energy density of the light per unit frequency, u(f). (This is the function which, when integrated over any frequency interval, gives the energy per unit volume within that frequency interval. For our atomic transition, all that matters is the value of u(f)atf=ϵ/h) The probability of absorbing a photon, per unit time per unit intensity, is called the Einstein B coefficient:

B=probability of absorption per unit timeu(f)

Finally, it is also possible for the atom to make a stimulated transition from s2down to s1, again with a probability that is proportional to the intensity of light at frequency f. (Stimulated emission is the fundamental mechanism of the laser: Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation.) Thus we define a third coefficient, B, that is analogous to B:

B'=probability of stimulated emission per unit timeu(f)

As Einstein showed in 1917, knowing any one of these three coefficients is as good as knowing them all.

(a) Imagine a collection of many of these atoms, such that N1 of them are in state s1 and N2 are in state s2. Write down a formula for dN1/dt in terms of A, B, B', N1, N2, and u(f).

(b) Einstein's trick is to imagine that these atoms are bathed in thermal radiation, so that u(f) is the Planck spectral function. At equilibrium, N1and N2 should be constant in time, with their ratio given by a simple Boltzmann factor. Show, then, that the coefficients must be related by

B'=BandAB=8Ï€hf3c3

Prove that the peak of the Planck spectrum is at x = 2.82.

Imagine that there exists a third type of particle, which can share a single-particle state with one other particle of the same type but no more. Thus the number of these particles in any state can be 0,1 or 2 . Derive the distribution function for the average occupancy of a state by particles of this type, and plot the occupancy as a function of the state's energy, for several different temperatures.

For a system of bosons at room temperature, compute the average occupancy of a single-particle state and the probability of the state containing 0,1,2,3bosons, if the energy of the state is

(a) 0.001eVgreater than μ

(b) 0.01eVgreater than μ

(c) 0.1eVgreater than μ

(d) 1eVgreater than μ

See all solutions

Recommended explanations on Physics Textbooks

View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.