What is the approximate mass of a 1-square-centimeter column of air that extends from sea level to the top of the atmosphere?
A)1 gram
B)1 kilogram
C)10 kilograms
D)100 kilograms

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The mass of the Earth's atmosphere is approximately 5.15 × 10^18 kilograms. Dividing this by the surface area of the Earth (510,072,000 km^2) gives a mass of approximately 10,100 kg/km^2. Therefore, a 1 cm^2 column of air from sea level to the top of the atmosphere would have a mass of approximately 1 kilogram.

What Is the Approximate Mass of a 1-Square-Centimeter Column of Air