High School

The atmospheric gas mixture has a mass that exerts a pressure of approximately _________ on the earth's surface at sea level.

Select one:
a. 99.3
b. 101.3
c. 103.1
d. 100.3

Answer :

Final answer:

The atmospheric gas mixture exerts a pressure of approximately 101.3 kilopascals (kPa) on the Earth's surface at sea level.

Explanation:

The atmospheric gas mixture exerts a pressure of approximately 101.3 kilopascals (kPa) on the Earth's surface at sea level.

On average, the atmospheric pressure at sea level is 1.01 × 105 pascals, or 1010 millibars, which is equivalent to 101.3 kilopascals or 1 atmosphere (atm).

This pressure is due to the weight of the column of air above a 1.0 m² section of the Earth's surface, which weighs about 10,000 kg. The pressure decreases with increasing altitude as the atmosphere becomes less dense.