What is the mass of air?Answer ancient scientists did not know.During infancy of science, many believed that the air mass is not.In the ancient world, and even in the early Middle Ages were distributed to numerous misconceptions related to the lack of knowledge and lack of precision instruments.Not only the physical quantity such as mass air got into the list of amusing misunderstandings.Medieval scholars (would be correct to call them inquisitive monks) without being able to measure the value of non-obvious, seriously believed that light propagates in the space of infinitely fast.However, this is not surprising.Science then interested in a very, very few.Where more people while collecting theological discussion on "how many angels fit on the point of a needle."
But as time went on, knowledge of the world became bigger.Scientists already knew that everything has weight, but to figure out what is the mass of air, yet they could not.And finally, in the eighteenth century it was able to calculate the density of the air, and with it the weight of the entire Earth's atmosphere.The total mass of the air of our planet was equal to the number of seventeen zeros - 53h1017 kilogram.However, this figure includes the mass of water vapor, it is also part of the atmosphere.
Today it is assumed that the thickness of the Earth's atmosphere is about one hundred and twenty kilometers away, and the air is distributed unevenly in it.The lower layers are more dense, but gradually the number of gas molecules constituting the atmosphere per unit volume decreases and comes to naught.The specific weight of air (density) of the Earth surface under normal conditions is about thirteen hundred grams per cubic meter.At the height of twelve kilometers of the air density decreases by more than four times already and has a value of three hundred and nineteen grams per cubic meter.
atmosphere is composed of several gases.Ninety-eight to ninety-nine percent of it - nitrogen and oxygen.In small quantities, there are other - carbon dioxide, argon, neon, helium, methane, carbon.The first determined that the air is not a gas, and a mixture of Scottish scientist Joseph Black in the middle of the eighteenth century.
At altitudes of more than two thousand meters as the atmospheric pressure decreases, and the percentage of oxygen content.This fact has led to the so-called "altitude sickness".Doctors distinguish several stages of the disease.In the most severe cases - it is hemoptysis, pulmonary edema and death.The internal pressure of the human body at high altitude becomes much more atmospheric, and circulatory system begins to fail.The first rush capillaries.
established that the height limit that people can survive without oxygen apparatus - eight thousand meters.And eight thousand is able to endure only a well-trained people.Long stay at high altitude has a negative impact on health.Doctors observed a group of Peruvians living generations at an altitude of 3500-4000 meters above sea level.They decreased mental and physical performance, there are changes in the central nervous system.That is the highlands of people's lives is not appropriate.And the person to adapt to life there can not be.And should I?
