Equilibrium and actual concentrations of constituents of the Earth's atmosphere.

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SpeciesExpectedPresentTotalOutputResidence
fractionalfractionalmasskg yr-1time
equilibriumconcentrationkg
concentration
N2 < 10-100.783.9 x 10182.5 x 10111.6 x 107 yr
CH4< 10-351.7 x 10-64.8 x 10127.5 x 10116 yr
N2O< 10-203 x 10-72.3 x 10121 x 101120 yr
NH3< 10-3510-93.0 x 1091 x 101110 days
H2< 10-355.3 x 10-71.9 x 10115 x 10104 yr

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Adapted from: Richard P. Wayne, 1985: Chemistry of Atmospheres. Clarendon Press, Oxford. 361 pp.

Notes:

Mass of the atmosphere: 5.14 x 1018 kg.
Kmols in the atmosphere: 1.78 x 1017
Number of molecules in the atmosphere: 1.07 x 1044