Question #53cd0
1 Answer
It is affected by the 2 variables of the atmosphere so it is a good way of monitoring the atmosphere.
Explanation:
Technically there are only 2 variables in the atmosphere, temperature and water content (everything else is a result of changes in these 2 variables). Since air pressure, which is the weight of the column of atmosphere over a given point, is effected by both of these variables it becomes an easy way to monitor changes in the atmosphere.
The Gay Lussac's law of gases states that temperature and pressure are proportional. Therefore as temperature increases so does pressure.
The molecular mass of water is less than molecular nitrogen (the primary gas of the atmosphere). Therefore as water content increases (water is displacing molecular nitrogen) the atmospheric pressure will decrease.
Since both of these can occur at the same time, the overall impact of both variables in the atmosphere can be monitored by measuring the atmospheric pressure.
