[TML] Environmental domes

[Jerry W Barrington]

On 9/8/07 11:37 PM, Leonard Erickson wrote:

>> But the internal and external air are dropping off by about the same formula
>> with altitude...
> 
> With different pressures at ground level, you've got a different
> density. So the pressure drop with altitude is different inside and
> outside.

The formula for pressure is approximately P=k*e^(alt*m), where m is the
molar weight of the atmosphere (28.9644 g/mol for Earth air, 44 for CO2, 32
for O2, etc).  If you plot this out for a variety of atmospheres, you'll
find that while the pressure drops off differently inside & outside, the
*difference* in pressure typically steadily drops!  Thus, there will be less
stress at the top of the dome than at the base.