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- The atmosphere surrounds the Earth and holds the air we breathe; it protects us from outer space; and holds moisture (clouds), gases, and tiny particles. In short, the atmosphere is the protective bubble in which we live. This protective bubble consists of several gases (listed in the table below), with the top four making up 99.998% of all gases.
www.noaa.gov/jetstream/atmosphereThe Atmosphere | National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
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The atmosphere serves as a protective buffer between the Earth's surface and outer space, shields the surface from most meteoroids and ultraviolet solar radiation, keeps it warm and reduces diurnal temperature variation (temperature extremes between day and night) through heat retention ( greenhouse effect ), redistributes heat and moisture amon...
Nitrogen and oxygen are by far the most common gases in our atmosphere. Dry air is composed of about 78% nitrogen (N 2) and about 21% oxygen (O 2 ). The remaining less than 1% of the atmosphere is a mixture of gases, including argon (Ar) and carbon dioxide (CO 2).
- 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's Importance. We are lucky to have an atmosphere on Earth. The atmosphere supports life and is also needed for the water cycle and weather.
- The Atmosphere and Living Things. Most of the atmosphere is nitrogen, but it doesn't do much. Carbon dioxide and oxygen are the gases in the atmosphere that are needed for life.
- The Atmosphere and the Sun’s Rays. The atmosphere protects living things from the Sun’s most harmful rays. Gases reflect or absorb the strongest rays of sunlight (Figure below).
- The Atmosphere and Earth’s Temperature. Gases in the atmosphere surround Earth like a blanket. They keep the temperature in a range that can support life.
May 13, 2024 · Although we cannot directly see the atmosphere, it provides the air we breathe and protects us from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. The atmosphere also works to trap heat and maintain moderate, habitable temperature ranges.
Jul 2, 2024 · The atmosphere surrounds the Earth and holds the air we breathe; it protects us from outer space; and holds moisture (clouds), gases, and tiny particles. In short, the atmosphere is the protective bubble in which we live.
Jun 3, 2024 · Joseph Priestley. Joseph-Louis Gay-Lussac. John Dalton. John Tyndall. Related Topics: ionosphere and magnetosphere. ozone layer. aurora. airglow. rainbow. atmosphere, the gas and aerosol envelope that extends from the ocean, land, and ice -covered surface of a planet outward into space.
