Question

Scientist plan to release a space probbe that will enter the atomosphere of a gaseous planet. The temperature of the gaseous planet increases linearly with the height of the atmosphere as measured from the top of a visible boundary layer, definied as 0 kilometers in altitude. The instruments on board can withstand a temperature of 601K. At what altitude will the probe's instruments fail?

Answer 1

Without the specific lapse rate of temperature with altitude for the gaseous planet, we cannot calculate the altitude at which the space probe's instruments would fail at 601K.

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine at what altitude a space probe's instruments will fail on a gaseous planet, we must know the lapse rate at which temperature increases with altitude. Unfortunately, the information provided does not include a specific lapse rate for the planet in question. Without this lapse rate, we cannot calculate the exact altitude at which the temperature will reach 601K, the limit for the probe's instruments. We do have information about Jupiter's probe, indicating that atmospheric friction can cause extreme temperatures, and data from Earth's atmosphere that the lapse rate is about 6.5K per km, but this does not directly translate to the gaseous planet's environment.

For a meaningful analysis, more data on the gaseous planet's atmosphere is required, specifically the rate of temperature increase with altitude (the lapse rate). With this additional information, a simple linear equation could be set up to find the altitude where 601K is reached. Once known, this altitude could be used to determine the point at which the probe's instruments would fail.