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Jul 23, 2023 · Earth's atmosphere is made of mainly nitrogen (~78%) and oxygen (21%), with trace amounts of other gases such as argon, water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, ozone, etc...
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Several factors make Earth unique given what scientists know...
- What Makes Earth's Atmosphere so Special
An atmosphere is made of the layers of gases surrounding a planet or other celestial body. Earth’s atmosphere is composed of about 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and one percent other gases.
Earth’s atmosphere is composed of about 78 percent nitrogen, 21 percent oxygen, 0.9 percent argon, and 0.1 percent other gases. Trace amounts of carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor, and neon are some of the other gases that make up the remaining 0.1 percent.
May 13, 2024 · There are five main layers that make up the atmosphere, differentiated by factors such as temperature, chemical composition, and air density. An illustration of the five different layers of Earth’s atmosphere.
- Overview
- Key points
Review your understanding of the composition and layers of Earth's atmosphere in this free article aligned to AP standards.
•Earth is surrounded by a mixture of gases called the atmosphere. The composition of the atmosphere is 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen, with the remaining 1% consisting of water vapor, argon, carbon dioxide, and small amounts of other gases.
•Earth’s atmosphere consists of five distinct layers that are distinguished by temperature gradients—the layers alternate between having temperatures that increase or decrease with altitude. The five principal layers of the atmosphere are the troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere.
•Troposphere: The troposphere is the layer closest to Earth. It is the densest layer (i.e., contains the most air particles), and is where most of Earth’s weather and cloud formation occurs. The troposphere is heated primarily by energy from the sun radiating off the Earth’s surface. This, along with the decrease in pressure that occurs with altitude, means that the troposphere has a temperature gradient that decreases with altitude.
•Stratosphere: The stratosphere is the layer above the troposphere. It has a concentrated region of ozone gas called the ozone layer, which keeps about 95% of the sun's harmful UV radiation from reaching the Earth’s surface. Ozone molecules absorb UV radiation and release heat, which causes the stratosphere to have a temperature gradient that increases with altitude.
•Mesosphere: The mesosphere is the layer above the stratosphere. The mesosphere is heated primarily by the stratosphere below, so it has a temperature gradient that decreases with altitude. The mesosphere is one of the coldest places on Earth. The average temperature is around minus 85° C (−120° F)!
•Thermosphere: The thermosphere is the layer above the mesosphere. It has a very low density of gas molecules. These molecules absorb highly energetic radiation from the sun, so the thermosphere has a temperature gradient that increases with altitude.
The atmosphere is a mixture of gases that surrounds the Earth. It helps make life possible by providing us with air to breathe, shielding us from harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation coming from the Sun, trapping heat to warm the planet, and preventing extreme temperature differences between day and night.
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Jun 3, 2024 · Atmosphere, the gas and aerosol envelope that extends from the ocean, land, and ice-covered surface of a planet outward into space. The density of the atmosphere decreases outward, because the planet’s gravitational attraction, which pulls the gases and aerosols inward, is greatest close to the surface.
