ABSTRACT
The major part, about 80%, of the atmospheric mass, sea level up to about 12 km is called the troposphere. Its properties are more tied to the earth’s surface, while the properties of the higher stratosphere are more set by the incoming radiation from the sun. The atmosphere is mostly molecular nitrogen and oxygen, with molar masses of 28 and 32, respectively. Compared to the radius of the earth, 6371 km, the atmosphere’s height of 8.5 km is 0.13%, small indeed. The common observation is of a hawk or eagle circling effortlessly above a warm field. The bird seeks locations where the air is rising because it is warmer and therefore less dense than air in the local environment. The parcel of dry air over the ploughed field on a sunny day is not likely to keep rising, it takes water vapor in the parcel to do that to achieve “deep convection”.
