In order to answer that, you have to decide how deep the atmosphere is,
i.e., where you think the top of it is.
Since the question didn't specify the depth of the atmosphere, we get to choose it.
One number we found in a 0.4-second search of the internet is: 30 km, which is
roughly 18.64 miles. So, since the question asks for an answer in cubic miles, and
in order to simplify one of our numbers, we'll take the top of the atmosphere to be
20 miles off the surface.
Volume = roughly (surface area of the earth) times (depth).
Area of a sphere = (4) (pi) (square of the radius)
Earth's equatorial radius = 3,963 miles.
Volume of air = (4) (pi) (3,963)2 (20) =
(80 pi) (15,705,369) = 3,947,000,000 = 3.947 billion cubic miles (rounded)
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