Physics for Scientists and Engineers: A Strategic Approach with Modern Physics (3rd Edition)

Published by Pearson
ISBN 10: 0321740904
ISBN 13: 978-0-32174-090-8

Chapter 18 - The Micro/Macro Connection - Exercises and Problems - Page 524: 59

Answer

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Work Step by Step

First of all, we need to find the escape velocity from the earth's surface. We can use the conservation of energy principle, $$K_i+U_{gi}=K_f+U_{gf}$$ $$\frac{1}{2}mv_i^2+\dfrac{-GmM_E}{R_E}=\frac{1}{2}mv_f^2+\dfrac{-GmM_E}{R_E+h}$$ where $v_i=v_{\rm esc}$, and we need the final position to be infinity at which the final velocity is zero. Hence, $$\frac{1}{2}mv_{\rm esc}^2-\dfrac{GmM_E}{R_E}=\frac{1}{2}m(0)^2-\dfrac{GmM_E}{R_E+\infty}$$ $$\frac{1}{2}\color{red}{\bf\not} mv_{\rm esc}^2-\dfrac{G\color{red}{\bf\not} mM_E}{R_E}=0$$ Hence, $$v_{\rm esc}=\sqrt{\dfrac{2GM_E}{R_E}} \tag 1$$ ---- a) Now we need to find the temperature of the gas nitrogen at which the rms speed of its molecules is equal to $v_{\rm esc}$. We know that the rms speed is given by $$v_{\rm rms}=\sqrt{\dfrac{3k_BT_{N_2}}{M_{N_2}}}$$ Plugging from (1); since both speeds are equal, $$\sqrt{\dfrac{2GM_E}{R_E}}=\sqrt{\dfrac{3k_BT_{N_2}}{M_{N_2}}}$$ $$ \dfrac{2GM_E}{R_E} = \dfrac{3k_BT_{N_2}}{2M_{N}} $$ Thus, $$T_{N_2}=\dfrac{4GM_EM_N}{3k_BR_E}$$ Plugging the known; $$T_{N_2}=\dfrac{4(6.67\times 10^{-11})(5.98\times 10^{24})(14\times 1.661\times 10^{-27})}{3(1.38\times 10^{-23})(6.37\times 10^6) }$$ $$T_{N_2}=\color{red}{\bf1.41\times 10^5}\;\rm K$$ ____________________________________________________________ b) By the same approach, in the hydrogen gas, $$T_{H_2}=\dfrac{4GM_EM_H}{3k_BR_E}$$ Plugging the known; $$T_{H_2}=\dfrac{4(6.67\times 10^{-11})(5.98\times 10^{24})(1\times 1.661\times 10^{-27})}{3(1.38\times 10^{-23})(6.37\times 10^6) }$$ $$T_{H_2}=\color{red}{\bf1.005\times 10^4}\;\rm K$$ ____________________________________________________________ c) We need to find the average translational kinetic energy per molecule for both gases. The average translational kinetic energy of a molecule in the Earth's atmosphere is given by $$K_{avg}=\frac{3}{2}k_BT$$ where $T$ here is the Earth's atmospheric temperature which is considered as 20$^\circ $C and the kinetic energy needed to escape is given by $$K_{esc}=\frac{1}{2}Mv_{\rm esc}^2$$ where $M$ is the mass of one molecule of the gas. Hence, $$\dfrac{K_{avg}}{K_{esc}}=\dfrac{\frac{3}{2}k_BT}{\frac{1}{2}Mv_{\rm esc}^2}$$ $$\dfrac{K_{avg}}{K_{esc}}=\dfrac{3k_BT}{ Mv_{\rm esc}^2}$$ Plugging from (1); \dfrac{2GM_E}{R_E} $$\dfrac{K_{avg}}{K_{esc}}=\dfrac{3k_BTR_E}{ M (2GM_E)}$$ Plugging the known for the nitrogen case, $$\dfrac{(K_{avg})_{N_2}}{(K_{esc})_{N_2}}=\dfrac{3(1.38\times 10^{-23})(20+273)(6.37\times 10^6)}{ 2(14\times 1.661\times 10^{-27})(2\times 6.67\times 10^{-11})(5.98\times 10^{24})} $$ Hence, $$\dfrac{(K_{avg})_{N_2}}{(K_{esc})_{N_2}}= {\bf 0.0021}=\color{red}{\bf 0.2}\%$$ And according to this result, the earth saves the nitrogen oxygen easily. And by the same approach for the hydrogen gas, $$\dfrac{(K_{avg})_{H_2}}{(K_{esc})_{H_2}}=\dfrac{3(1.38\times 10^{-23})(20+273)(6.37\times 10^6)}{ 2(1\times 1.661\times 10^{-27})(2\times 6.67\times 10^{-11})(5.98\times 10^{24})} $$ $$\dfrac{(K_{avg})_{H_2}}{(K_{esc})_{H_2}}=\bf 0.029=\color{red}{\bf2.9}\%$$ Hence, enough fraction of hydrogen molecules are moving at escape speed that allow hydrogen to escape from atmosphere to space.
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