SUMMARY OF FIRST LECTURE

1. The Earth Atmosphere, Structure and composition

a. Nitrogen and other trace gases 79 percent of the atmosphere, Remaining 21
percent is atmospheric oxygen.
b. Oxygen, it’s effects on atmosphere. Mostly Oxygen is below 35,000 feet altitude.
c. Average pressure of 14.7 pounds on each square inch of surface.
2. Different layers of atmosphere on earth
a. Troposphere sea level- 20,000 feet (8 km) at northern and southern poles and
up to 48,000 feet (14.5 km) at equatorial regions. Boundary between the
troposphere and the stratosphere is tropopause
b. Stratosphere height of about 20,000 till 160,000 feet (50 km). Cruising altitude
in a passenger jet is near or just above the top of the troposphere, and at the
bottom of the stratosphere. strato-pause, exists approximately at 160,000 ft.
c. Mesosphere around 280,000 feet (85 km). Temperature as –90°C.
Mesopause is the boundary between Meso and Thermosphere.
d. Last layer is Thermosphere. It starts above the mesosphere and gradually
fades into outer space.
3. Weight of the atmosphere at 18,000 feet is only one-half what it is at sea level.
4. Atmospheric Pressure: one of the basic factors in weather changes, helps to lift
the airplane, and actuates some of the important flight instruments in the
airplane. These instruments are the altimeter, the airspeed indicator, the rate-of-
climb indicator, and the manifold pressure gauge. Atmospheric pressure is
measured by Barometer invented by Torecelli.
5. Heat and Temperature (Q) is energy. It is the total amount of energy (both
kinetic and potential) possessed by the molecules in a piece of matter. Heat is
the overall energy of the molecular motion. Heat is measured in Joules.
6. Temperature is a means of determining the internal energy contained within
a given system. Temperature is the average energy of the molecular motion.
7. Heat transfer is the exchange of thermal energy between physical systems. The
fundamental modes of heat transfer are conduction, convection, radiation and
photon heat.
8. Anti-icing is used in the aircraft fuel so it does not get freezed.