For the following questions refer to the temperature and dew point data in the following cities:
-How much water would cover the globe if all the water vapour in the atmosphere condensed and fell to the ground?
A)about 100 centimetres
B)about 1 metre
C)about 2.5 centimetres
D)about 1 millimetre

Question

For the following questions refer to the temperature and dew point data in the following cities: 
-How much water would cover the globe if all the water vapour in the atmosphere condensed and fell to the ground?
A)about 100 centimetres 
B)about 1 metre 
C)about 2.5 centimetres 
D)about 1 millimetre

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

To calculate the amount of water that would cover the globe if all the water vapour in the atmosphere condensed and fell to the ground, we need to use the concept of relative humidity. The data shows that the temperature and dew point in the given cities have a difference of around 10-15 degrees Celsius, indicating a relative humidity of 60-70%. This means that 60-70% of the maximum amount of water vapour that can be held in the air at that temperature is present. Assuming an average relative humidity of 70%, we can calculate the total amount of water vapour present in the atmosphere as (0.7 x maximum water vapour holding capacity). The maximum water vapour holding capacity varies with temperature, but assuming an average temperature of 20 degrees Celsius, the maximum holding capacity is around 17 grams of water vapour per cubic meter. Therefore, the total amount of water vapour in the atmosphere can be calculated as (0.7 x 17 grams per cubic meter), which is approximately 12 grams per cubic meter. Since the total volume of the atmosphere is around 4.2 billion cubic kilometers, the total amount of water that would cover the globe if all the water vapour in the atmosphere condensed and fell to the ground would be around 2.5 centimetres. Hence, the correct answer is C.

For the Following Questions Refer to the Temperature and Dew