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Do you agree with this "geologist" that a " vapor generally is a gas that above boiling point"?
It makes me wonder how there's any water vapor in the atmosphere at all, and I think it violates one or two of the laws of thermodynamics.
2 Answers
- Al PLv 76 years agoFavorite Answer
A water surface has approximate Maxwell distribution
of velocity. In other words, many H2O(l) molecules have more
than enough escape velocity (Ve) to leave said surface and
enter the atmosphere notwithstanding boiling point, but it is a
true fact that, as temperature increases, a greater fraction
of molecules under the distribution curve have E=f(V) >= bond
breaking escape energy. H2O(g) molecules once in the
atmosphere, much like carbon dioxide CO2(g), will absorb and
release allowed QM energy packets. What this is telling me is that
there is a delay in transmission of electromagnetic energy through
earth's atmosphere as is the case with many planets and stars.
Nitrogen N2(g), Oxygen O2(g) molecules, to name two, play a part
in repopulating quantum states of those molecules that are predisposed
to decay to lower quantum states of vibration and/or rotation. N2(g)
and O2(g), for the greater part, remain in their ground states at
temperatures typically found in the troposphere although Oxygen does
play a small roll quantum mechanically.
Having studied statistical thermodynamics and quantum mechanics for
some time now, I have an educated opinion, without prejudice, regarding
such matters. The idea of molecules being above their boiling point
is silly. Maybe they meant vaporization, but scientists usually do
not make such mistakes. Never mind breaking laws of thermodynamics.
The laws are fine. The human mind has a tendency to engage in
unsupported prejudicial thinking. When this happens, something
is broken, but it is not the Laws of Physics.
- Gary FLv 76 years ago
It looks like he might think that you only get vapor from vaporization – as opposed to the “evapor” you get from evaporation.
I cannot believe that WUWT has not already jumped all over this. It means that all this time climate scientists have ignored atmospheric ‘water evapor’ --- which, no doubt, is what we have that Mars and Venus did not have (a magical damping variable)– and the reason those planets are all fcked up while we have no worries.
I don’t about you, but I’m sure going to rest a lot easier now that I understand how the climate system really works.