Atmosphere of Mercury

Sodium vapor has been detected recently as a major component of the thin atmosphere of Mercury using a ground-based telescope and a spectrometer. Its concentration is estimated to be about 1.0 X 10 atoms per cmL (a) Express this in moles per Uter. (b) The maximum temperature of the atmosphere was measured by Mariner 10 to be about 970.°C. What is the approximate partial pressure of sodium vapor at that temperature ... 

This chapter provides an overview of available noble gas data for solar system bodies apart from the Earth, Mars, and asteroids. Besides the Sun, the Moon, and the giant planets, we will also discuss data for the tenuous atmospheres of Mercury and the Moon, comets, interplanetary dust particles and elementary particles in the interplanetary medium and beyond. In addition, we summarize the scarce data base for the Venusian atmosphere. The extensive meteorite data from Mars and asteroidal sources are discussed in chapters in this volume by Ott (2002), Swindle (2002a,b) and Wieler (2002). Data from the Venusian and Martian atmospheres are discussed in more detail in chapters by Pepin and Porcelli (2002) and Swindle (2002b). Where appropriate, we will also present some data for other highly volatile elements such as H or N. 

Noble gases are intrinsically difficult to detect by spectroscopy. For example, solar photospheric spectra, which form the basis for solar abundance values of most elements, do not contain lines from noble gases (except for He, but this line cannot be used for abundance determinations). Yet, ultraviolet spectroscopy is the only or the major source of information on noble gas abundances in the atmospheres of Mercury and comets. In the Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV), photon energies exceed bond energies of molecules and the first ionization potential of all elements except F, He, and Ne, so that only these elements are visible in this part of the spectrum (Krasnopolsky et al. 1997). Other techniques can be used to determine the abundance of He where this element is a major constituent. Studies of solar oscillations (helioseismology) allow a precise determination of the He abundance in the solar interior, and the interferometer on the Galileo probe yielded a precise value for the refractive index and hence the He abundance in the upper atmosphere of Jupiter (see respective sections of this chapter). 

The distillation of crudes chosen for their yield in heavy fractions is the most common means. Bitumen is extracted from the residue from a vacuum distillation column (a few dozen mm of mercury), the latter being fed by atmospheric distillation residue. Unlike the practice of a decade ago, it is now possible to obtain all categories of bitumen, including the hard grades. 

The vapour pressure of a liquid increases with rising temperature. A few typical vapour pressure curves are collected in Fig. 7,1, 1. When the vapour pressure becomes equal to the total pressure exerted on the surface of a liquid, the liquid boils, i.e., the liquid is vaporised by bubbles formed within the liquid. When the vapour pressure of the liquid is the same as the external pressure to which the liquid is subjected, the temperature does not, as a rale, rise further. If the supply of heat is increased, the rate at which bubbles are formed is increased and the heat of vaporisation is absorbed. The boiling point of a liquid may be defined as the temperature at which the vapour pressure of the liquid is equal to the external pressure dxerted at any point upon the liquid surface. This external pressure may be exerted by atmospheric air, by other gases, by vapour and air, etc. The boiling point at a pressure of 760 mm. of mercury, or one standard atmosphere, may be termed the normal boiling point. 

Add 40 ml. of ethyl alcohol to 21 -5 g. of 70 per cent, ethylenediamine solution (0 -25 mol) dissolve 36 -5 g. of adipic acid (0 -25 mol) in 50 ml. of a 6 1 mixture of ethyl alcohol and water. Mix the two solutions, stir and cool. Filter off the resulting salt and recrystalliae it from 60 ml. of a 6 1 ethyl alcohol - water mixture, and dry the salt in the air. Heat the salt in an atmosphere of oxygen-free nitrogen or of carbon dioxide in an oil bath until it melts (ca. 160°) the product will sohdify after a short time. Reduce the pressure to 15 mm. of mercury or less and raise the temperature of the oil bath until the product remelts (about 290°) and continue the heating for 4r-5 hours. Upon coohng, a nylon type polymer is obtained. 

L. radius, ray) Radium was discovered in 1898 by Mme. Curie in the pitchblende or uraninite of North Bohemia, where it occurs. There is about 1 g of radium in 7 tons of pitchblende. The element was isolated in 1911 by Mme. Curie and Debierne by the electrolysis of a solution of pure radium chloride, employing a mercury cathode on distillation in an atmosphere of hydrogen this amalgam yielded the pure metal. 

Boiling point is given at atmospheric pressure (760 mm of mercury or 101 325 Pa) unless otherwise indicated thus 82 indicates that the boiling point is 82°C when the pressure is 15 mm of mercury. Also, subl 550 indicates that the compound sublimes at 550°C. Occasionally decomposition products are mentioned. 

Pressure. Standard atmospheric pressure is defined to be the force exerted by a column of mercury 760-mm high at 0°C. This corresponds to 0.101325 MPa (14.695 psi). Reference or fixed points for pressure caUbration exist and are analogous to the temperature standards cited (23). These points are based on phase changes or resistance jumps in selected materials. For the highest pressures, the most rehable technique is the correlation of the wavelength shift, /SX with pressure of the mby, R, fluorescence line and is determined by simultaneous specific volume measurements on cubic metals... 

Other alkaline primary cells couple zinc with oxides of mercury or silver and some even use atmospheric oxygen (zinc—air cell). Frequendy, zinc powder is used in the fabrication of batteries because of its high surface area. Secondary (rechargeable) cells with zinc anodes under development are the alkaline zinc—nickel oxide and zinc—chlorine (see Batteries). 

Atmospheres Millimeters of mercury at 32 F 760 Calories, gram, per gram per degree C. Joules per kilogram per degree Kelvin 4186.8... 

Atmospheres Inches of mercury at 32 F 29.921 Centigrade heat units B.t.u. 1.8... 

Bars Atmospheres 0.9869 Centimeters of mercury at 0 C. Pounds per square inch 0.19.3.37... 

The term vacuum is used to e.xpress pressures less than atmospheric pressure (sometimes represented as a negative psi on pressure gauges). Another scale frec]uently used is inches of mercury . The conversion is 14.7 psia = 29.92" Hg. Another scale gaining in popularity is the kilopascal (Kp) scale. 14.7 psia = 100 Kp... 

Before 1950, it was impossible to examine the true structure of a solid surface, because, even if a surface is cleaned by flash-heating, the atmospheric molecules which constantly bombard a solid surface very quickly re-form an adsorbed monolayer, which is likely to alter the underlying structure. Assuming that all incident molecules of oxygen or nitrogen stick to the surface, a monolayer will be formed in 3 x 10 second at 1 Torr (=1 mm of mercury), that is, at 10 atmosphere a monolayer forms in 3 s at 10 Torr, or 10 atmosphere but a complete monolayer takes about an hour to form at 10 Torr. The problem was that in 1950, a vacuum of 10" Torr was not achievable lO Torr was the limit, and that only provided a few minutes grace before an experimental surface became wholly contaminated. 

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