Be above a bit of the atmosphere

English translation: "quite a bit" = a fair amount (but an exaggeration HERE)

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:Be above a bit of the atmosphere
Selected answer:"quite a bit" = a fair amount (but an exaggeration HERE)
Entered by: Yvonne Gallagher

11:12 Jan 26, 2021
English language (monolingual) [Non-PRO]
Science - General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters
English term or phrase: Be above a bit of the atmosphere
”When you get to about 15,000 feet, you're above quite a bit of the atmosphere.”

I find this sentence quite confusing, how can one be ”above of the atmosphere” at only 15,000 feet? Am I missing something? Grateful for any hints!
Andrei Albu
Romania
Local time: 07:54
"quite a bit" an exaggeration
Explanation:
Yes, it seems to be an exaggeration to say "quite a bit". Above some of the atmosphere certainly. Some graphs here might help. Maybe they meant "weather" rather than atmosphere?

https://climate.ncsu.edu/edu/Structure

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Note added at 1 day 4 hrs (2021-01-27 15:17:22 GMT) Post-grading
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glad to have helped. This was a serious question and Pro in my opinion.

Just to reiterate what I said below, while 15,000 feet is high (as can be seen in the link) it is only around halfway to the Tropopause.
Yes, there's far more clarity than at sea-level but they probably should have said STARTING TO GET (above quite a bit of the atmosphere) and gives rise to the following remark with an implied BUT ”You really need to be above the atmosphere to see through to the emptiness of space.”
Selected response from:

Yvonne Gallagher
Ireland
Local time: 05:54
Grading comment
Thank you!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +3Quite a lot= (Ironic usage)
Lara Barnett
3 +3"quite a bit" an exaggeration
Yvonne Gallagher
3over a considerable change in atmospheric pressure
Lisa Rosengard


Discussion entries: 7





  

Answers


1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +3
be above a bit of the atmosphere
Quite a lot= (Ironic usage)


Explanation:
This expressions is being used with a touch of irony only, i.e. it is a humorous use of the expression "a bit".

When we say "Quite a bit" is not the same thing as saying "a bit", which means "a small piece of" or a "small part of". In fact, simply adding "quite" before "a bit" turns this into an ironic idiom, meaning "quite a lot".

This might help explain this:https://ell.stackexchange.com/questions/88933/confusion-abou...

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Note added at 1 hr (2021-01-26 12:29:37 GMT)
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"Quite a bit
a significant amount"
https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/quite a bit

Example sentence(s):
  • "a considerable amount"

    https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/quite%20a%20bit
Lara Barnett
United Kingdom
Local time: 05:54
Meets criteria
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 16
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in this pair and field What is ProZ.com Project History(SM)?

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Lincoln Hui: I don't know if it's ironic, but "quite a bit = quite a lot" is a common expression.
1 min
  -> Thank you. I would say its the irony (or perhaps sarcasm) that turns the expression around.

agree  AllegroTrans: Yes, but not ironic, just badly expressed given the atmosphere extends to 50 kilometres above the earth; nevertheless in terms of effect on a human, very substantial
2 hrs
  -> Thank you.

agree  Thayenga: Without "ironic"
1 day 2 hrs
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
be above a bit of the atmosphere
over a considerable change in atmospheric pressure


Explanation:
I think it's about mountain climbing or aviation, with a reference to the changing air density and pressure which the person who climbs 15 thousand feet is going to experience. 15 thousand feet might be about five kilometres, which is an incredible distance or height to climb. The reference describes a level which has been surmounted on reaching the height at 15ooo feet, while a drop with changes in air density and atmospheric pressure lies below.

Example sentence(s):
  • 'An atmosphere can be a unit of pressure equal to the pressure of the air at sea level, equal to the pressure exerted by a column of mercury. The Earth's atmosphere is held by the force of gravity, which forms various layers at different heights.'

    https://www.thefreedictionary.com/atmosphere
Lisa Rosengard
United Kingdom
Local time: 05:54
Meets criteria
Native speaker of: English
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20 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
be above a bit of the atmosphere
"quite a bit" an exaggeration


Explanation:
Yes, it seems to be an exaggeration to say "quite a bit". Above some of the atmosphere certainly. Some graphs here might help. Maybe they meant "weather" rather than atmosphere?

https://climate.ncsu.edu/edu/Structure

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day 4 hrs (2021-01-27 15:17:22 GMT) Post-grading
--------------------------------------------------

glad to have helped. This was a serious question and Pro in my opinion.

Just to reiterate what I said below, while 15,000 feet is high (as can be seen in the link) it is only around halfway to the Tropopause.
Yes, there's far more clarity than at sea-level but they probably should have said STARTING TO GET (above quite a bit of the atmosphere) and gives rise to the following remark with an implied BUT ”You really need to be above the atmosphere to see through to the emptiness of space.”

Yvonne Gallagher
Ireland
Local time: 05:54
Meets criteria
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 651
Grading comment
Thank you!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  writeaway: can't help it but reminds me of this: Let's go fly a kite And send it soaring Up through the atmosphere Up where the air is clear https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BA-g8YYPKVo
2 hrs
  -> Thanks:-) Yes, the air gets clearer the higher you go for sure. Nothing ironic about that.

agree  Petrus Maritz
2 hrs
  -> Many thanks:-) Petrus, re your Dbox entry. 15,000 feet (less than 5 Km) is really not a large part of the atmosphere, especially when this concerns looking into space: a satellite orbit is at an altitude of approx. 35,786 km

agree  AllegroTrans: An exagerration for sure - about one seventeenth of the atmospheric layer at most, albeit in human terms (effects on breathing and bodily functions) very substantial
3 hrs
  -> Thank you!//Yes, but it's not about human breathing but looking into space without all the "noise" from what I gather. And can't really do that so well at 15,000 feet/less than 5 Km. Certainly not much or enough. And why Asker is confused.
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