The temperature of the atmosphere is not always constant and can increase or decrease with height. In a neutral atmosphere, where there is not a significant amount of vertical mixing, the temperature decreases at a rate of approximately 6.5 K per km. The magnitude of the decrease in temperature as height increases is known as the lapse rate (Γ). (The symbol is the upper case Greek letter gamma.) Assume that the surface pressure is p0 = 1.013 × 105 Pa where T = 293 K and the lapse rate is (−Γ = 6.5 K/km). Estimate the pressure 3.0 km above the surface of Earth.

The temperature of the atmosphere is not always constant and can increase or decrease with height. In a neutral atmosphere, where there is not a significant amount of vertical mixing, the temperature decreases at a rate of approximately 6.5 K per km. The magnitude of the decrease in temperature as height increases is known as the lapse rate (Γ). (The symbol is the upper case Greek letter gamma.) Assume that the surface pressure is p0 = 1.013 × 105 Pa where T = 293 K and the lapse rate is (−Γ = 6.5 K/km). Estimate the pressure 3.0 km above the surface of Earth.