An Article written by our very own - PP PHF John Ritchie
Atmosphere
A long time ago I did a diploma in applied chemistry
It would be a degree now
My specialty was chemical engineering
Part of my training was calculating the density of gasses at different temperature and pressure
The rule is
The molecular weight of all gasses in grams always occupies 21.4 litres at zero degrees and 15 psi
So eg the molecular weight of helium is 4 So 4 gm of helium would occupy 21.4 litres at 0 degrees and 15 psi
Let’s say the pressure in a balloon is double so a balloon would weigh 8 gm
The molecular weight of nitrogen is 28
So 28 gm of Nitrogen would occupy 21.4 litres
So helium is about a quarter of the density of nitrogen
We have all watched a helium balloon fly up into the clouds
The molecular weight of oxygen is 32 so about 13 % heavier than nitrogen so the concentration of oxygen is 21% at sea level but by the time you get up to the top of Everest 5 miles up it’s down to about 5%
If we didn’t have a sun causing variation in temperature, we would have a layer of oxygen then nitrogen on top
This may have happened when the rock hit the earth and wiped out most life on earth
The cloud blocked sun light for 3 years
Carbon dioxide has a molecular weight of 44 so it is a very heavy gas about 70 % heavier than nitrogen so the only carbon dioxide up in the Atmosphere is that being formed there
Carbon dioxide will tend to accumulate in gullies where there is little wind and is a very dangerous gas so don’t make love in a gully
Horizontal you might be in the toxic region
Carbon dioxide makes plants grow quicker
Nurseries add it to their glass house to improve growth
A small increase made pine trees grow 15% faster and young trees grew 25% in the same time
When a chicken farmer has to euthanasia a shed of chooks, they get a sealed container and half fill it with carbon dioxide
They float a balloon on it to watch the level
They catch chooks and drop them in the carbon dioxide
They don’t even flutter
It is a popular misconception that the Ozone layer absorbs ultraviolet light
OZONE is O3 so 50% heavier than oxygen
It is oxygen that absorbs the ultraviolet light and forms Ozone
To make hydrogen peroxide we shine an ultraviolet light on oxygen and dissolve the ozone in water gives hydrogen peroxide
The Ozone layer doesn’t stay there it comes down here and oxidises any methane and any other organic matter going up
If you looked for an ozone layer in the middle of a good you could not find any
The hole in the ozone layer is always there because there is no UV there
The UV comes from the sun
The real greenhouse gas is water
Water in gas form has a molecular weight of 18 so about half the density of air so it rises to the upper Atmosphere where it acts like a greenhouse
There is a limit how much because it will form a cloud
As the temperature rises the air can hold more water
I think of Darwin that has a constant temperature
If we want to reduce the temperature we have to reduce adding steam into the Atmosphere so buy electric cars
Jets release an enormous amount of steam and nuclear power is not going to help because they still use the heat to drive a steam generator
Plant more trees helps the trees absorb the heat
You can buy solar panels and battery that helps and they work very well
Save the Date: Saturday 2nd May 2026 "Rotary's Got Talent"
The Spangles have been invited to perform at the upcoming "Rotary's Got Talent",
which serves as a fundraiser for the Monash Children's Hospital Apheris.
