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Why is oxygen found up to 120km in the atmosphere but water only up to 90km while water has a lower molecular mass ?
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Why is oxygen found up to 120km in the atmosphere but water only up to...

Reasons why oxygen is found up to 120km in the atmosphere but water only up to 90km:

1. Molecular mass:
- Oxygen has a molecular mass of 32 g/mol, while water has a molecular mass of 18 g/mol. Despite water having a lower molecular mass, it is found only up to 90km in the atmosphere compared to oxygen's presence up to 120km.

2. Stability:
- Oxygen molecules are more stable in the upper atmosphere due to their higher molecular weight, allowing them to be present at higher altitudes. Water molecules, on the other hand, are less stable and tend to dissociate into hydrogen and oxygen atoms at higher altitudes due to the lower temperature and pressure.

3. Bonding:
- The strong double bond between the oxygen atoms in an oxygen molecule contributes to its stability and ability to exist at higher altitudes. In contrast, water molecules are held together by weaker hydrogen bonds, making them more prone to dissociation at higher altitudes.

4. Temperature and pressure:
- The temperature and pressure conditions in the upper atmosphere play a crucial role in determining the presence of gases. Oxygen can withstand the lower temperatures and pressures found at higher altitudes, allowing it to be present up to 120km. Water, on the other hand, is more likely to vaporize and dissociate into its constituent atoms under these conditions, limiting its presence to 90km.

In conclusion, the combination of molecular stability, bonding strength, and environmental conditions determines the presence of oxygen up to 120km in the atmosphere, while water is limited to 90km despite its lower molecular mass.
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Milankovitch proposed in the early twentieth century that the ice ages were caused by variations in the Earth’s orbit around the Sun. For some time, this theory was considered untestable, largely because there was no sufficiently precise chronology of the ice ages with which the orbital variations could be matched. To establish such a chronology, it is necessary to determine the relative amounts of land ice that existed at various times in the Earth’s past. A recent discovery makes such a determination possible: relative land-ice volume for a given period can be deduced from the ratio of two oxygen isotopes, 16 and 18, found in ocean sediments. Almost all the oxygen in water is oxygen 16, but a few molecules out of every thousand incorporate the heavier isotope 18.When an ice age begins, the continental ice sheets grow, steadily reducing the amount of water evaporated from the ocean that will eventually return to it. Because heavier isotopes tend to be left behind when water evaporates from the ocean surfaces, the remaining ocean water becomes progressively enriched in oxygen 18. The degree of enrichment can be determined by analyzing ocean sediments of the period, because these sediments are composed of calcium carbonate shells of marine organisms, shells that were constructed with oxygen atoms drawn from the surrounding ocean. The higher the ratio of oxygen 18 to oxygen 16 in a sedimentary specimen, the more land ice there was when the sediment was laid down.It can be inferred from the passage that precipitation formed from evaporated ocean water has

Milankovitch proposed in the early twentieth century that the ice ages were caused by variations in the Earth’s orbit around the Sun. For some time, this theory was considered untestable, largely because there was no sufficiently precise chronology of the ice ages with which the orbital variations could be matched. To establish such a chronology, it is necessary to determine the relative amounts of land ice that existed at various times in the Earth’s past. A recent discovery makes such a determination possible: relative land-ice volume for a given period can be deduced from the ratio of two oxygen isotopes, 16 and 18, found in ocean sediments. Almost all the oxygen in water is oxygen 16, but a few molecules out of every thousand incorporate the heavier isotope 18.When an ice age begins, the continental ice sheets grow, steadily reducing the amount of water evaporated from the ocean that will eventually return to it. Because heavier isotopes tend to be left behind when water evaporates from the ocean surfaces, the remaining ocean water becomes progressively enriched in oxygen 18. The degree of enrichment can be determined by analyzing ocean sediments of the period, because these sediments are composed of calcium carbonate shells of marine organisms, shells that were constructed with oxygen atoms drawn from the surrounding ocean. The higher the ratio of oxygen 18 to oxygen 16 in a sedimentary specimen, the more land ice there was when the sediment was laid down.According to the passage, which of the following is true of the ratios of oxygen isotopes in ocean sediments?

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Why is oxygen found up to 120km in the atmosphere but water only up to 90km while water has a lower molecular mass ?
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