If Sunlight Broke Up Water Molecules in Venus's Atmosphere, Would

question 4

Multiple Choice

If sunlight broke up water molecules in Venus's atmosphere, would the hydrogen atoms escape into outer space? Note that Venus's temperature is 740 K.Recall that gas eventually will escape if the average velocity of its atoms is greater than 1/6 times the escape velocity of the planet.The escape velocity of Venus is 10 km/s.

• A) No, the average velocity of hydrogen atoms would be 0.8 km/s.
• B) No, the average velocity of hydrogen atoms would be 3.9 km/s.
• C) Yes, the average velocity of hydrogen atoms would be 3.9 km/s.
• D) Yes, the average velocity of hydrogen atoms would be 25 km/s.
• E) No, the average velocity of hydrogen atoms would be 25 km/s.