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pegminer asked in EnvironmentGlobal Warming · 6 years ago

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.

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  • Al P
    Lv 7
    6 years ago
    Favorite 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 F
    Lv 7
    6 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.

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