What would the atmospheric pressure be in millimeters of mercury if our atmosphere were composed of pure CO2 gas?

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand that atmospheric pressure is the force exerted by the weight of the atmosphere above a given point. It is commonly measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg).
2. Step 2: Recognize that the current atmospheric pressure at sea level is approximately 760 mmHg, which is the pressure exerted by the Earth's atmosphere composed of a mixture of gases, primarily nitrogen and oxygen.
3. Step 3: Consider that if the atmosphere were composed entirely of CO2, the pressure in mmHg would depend on the density and molecular weight of CO2 compared to the current atmospheric composition.
4. Step 4: Use the ideal gas law, PV = nRT, to relate pressure (P), volume (V), number of moles (n), the ideal gas constant (R), and temperature (T). Assume constant temperature and volume to compare the pressures.
5. Step 5: Calculate the pressure exerted by pure CO2 by considering the molar mass of CO2 (44.01 g/mol) and comparing it to the average molar mass of the current atmospheric gases. This will help determine how the pressure would change if the atmosphere were composed entirely of CO2.