Structure and Composition of Atmosphere
Earth is the only planet in the solar system known to harbour life. Our planet 's rapid spin and molten nickel-iron core give rise to an extensive magnetic field, which, along with the atmosphere, shields us from nearly all of the harmful radiation coming from the Sun and other stars. Earth 's atmosphere protects us from meteors, most of which burn up before they can strike the surface. Nitrogen and Oxygen are the predominant gases in the atmosphere, accounting for about 99 percent of dry air. While 1 percent is mixture of all other gases make up the remaining 1 percent. All the gases found in the atmosphere are natural except CFCs (invented by Thomas Midgley, Jr. was an American mechanical engineer and chemist).
Exosphere (More than 500 km)
Thermosphere (85-500 km) Negative (-) Lapse Rate
Mesopause
Mesosphere (50-85km) Positive (+) Lapse Rate
Stratopause
O3 Layer [where concentration of ozone is 10 ppm (parts per million)]
Stratosphere (11-50km) Negative (-) Lapse Rate
Tropopause
Troposphere (0-11km) Positive (+) Lapse Rate
The atmosphere has a mass of about 4.5 to 5.0×1018 kg. The atmospheric temperature, pressure and density vary considerably with altitude. The atmosphere surrounding the Earth from dangerous cosmic radiations from outer space and helps in sustaining life on the earth. The atmosphere plays a vital role in maintaining the heat balance on the earth by absorbing the infrared radiation received from the sun
*Nitrogen, which accounts for 78 percent of the atmosphere, exists in the atmosphere in a form unusable by living organisms.
Climate change happens when long term weather patterns are refined. It can be identified in the changes of temperature, winds, precipitation, and other forms of natural processes. This can occur through many different factors, one being through human activity. Global warming is one of the main scales used to measure climate change. For life to be able to continue on Earth, the sun is required. Solar radiation is reflected back into space, however, small amounts of radiation get trapped in the Earth’s atmosphere, causing a rise of temperature. The atmosphere is composed of delicate gases, the most important gas being Carbon Dioxide. A main component on Earth is Carbon, which is released into the atmosphere through many activities, one human
The Earth 's atmosphere has changed all through history. Just in the most recent 650,000 years there have been seven cycles of frigid progress and withdraw, with the sudden end of the last ice age around 7,000 years back denoting the start of the present day atmosphere period and of human development. The greater part of these atmosphere changes are credited to little varieties in Earth 's circle that change the measure of sun based vitality our planet gets. Exploratory proof for warming of the atmosphere framework is unequivocal. The present warming pattern is of specific criticalness in light of the fact that the vast majority of it is likely human-impelled and continuing at a rate that is exceptional in the previous 1,300 years. Earth-circling satellites and other mechanical advances have empowered researchers to see the comprehensive view, gathering a wide range of sorts of data about our planet and its atmosphere on a worldwide scale. This group of information, gathered over numerous years, uncovers the signs of an evolving atmosphere. The warmth catching nature of carbon dioxide and different gasses was shown in the mid-nineteenth century. Their capacity to influence the exchange of infrared vitality through the environment is the logical premise of numerous instruments flown by NASA. There is no doubt that expanded levels of nursery gasses must bring about the Earth to warm accordingly. Ice centers drawn from Greenland, Antarctica, and tropical mountain icy masses
Despite the amounts of incoming radiation, very little actually reaches the Earth’s surface. One layer of protection the Earth provides is in the form of a magnetic field that deflects charged particles from reaching the Earth’s surface. This magnetic field is generated by a combination of the liquids within the Earth’s core and the interplanetary magnetic field generated by the Sun. This field reaches out thousands of miles from Earth, so when solar wind travels through space and encounters Earth’s
Atmospheric carbon impacts the temperature of the Earth because it is a greenhouse gas. When visible light from the sun heats the surface of the earth, some of the energy is transmitted back towards the
Elaborating on an earlier point, our planet was lucky enough to have not just the elements the directly grant us life, but also the elements that indirectly grant us life. The advantages Humanity has been gifted with came from Stardust, meaning we can further credit stars for our existence. Stardust is in the food we eat (like Carbon), the air we breath (like Oxygen), the water we drink (like Oxygen again), and the blood in our veins (like Iron).
Earths atmosphere is constantly bombarded 24 hours a day by outer space. Small objects such bolides and meteors burn up in the Earths atmosphere most often harmlessly. Space dust is continually raining down on Earth from the outer portions of the Solar system as well without notice. The most dangerous and disrupting of all, is the Coronal Mas Ejection or CME.
‘Low pressure atmospheric systems have more of a short term impact than high pressure systems.’ Discuss.
There has always been a debate on if global warming is human caused or if it is something naturally happening, however we do know the gases that make the temperatures rise the most. The atmosphere is an amazing and special thing believe it or not. It is what surrounds planet earth that helps with a handful of things. The main reason our atmosphere is so important is because it not only allows the earth to have different weather patterns and seasons, but keeps the earth within a stable range of temperatures, as some people would refer it to as a blanket. Without the atmosphere, during the summer, there would have no way of trapping heat, so summers would be lucky to get up to 45 degrees fahrenheit, and winters can
The world naturally produces gasses, the most common being nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and methane. While these gasses are the basic building blocks of the earths atmosphere they are also green house gasses, gasses that are the main contributors to global warming. According to the Oxford English Dictionary global warming is, “A long-term gradual increase in the temperature of the earth 's atmosphere and oceans” (Global) and this increase in
Energy from the sun drives the earth’’s weather and climate, and heats the earth’’s surface; in turn, the earth radiates energy back into space. Atmospheric greenhouse gases (water vapor, carbon dioxide, and other gases) trap some of the
Much like the glass of a greenhouse, gases in our atmosphere sustain life on Earth by trapping the sun 's heat. The Earth’s atmosphere contains several different gases that act like a blanket, keeping the Earth warm. Water vapour and some trace gases like CO2, CH4 (methane), O3 (ozone), N2O (nitrous oxide), are “IR active”, i.e. they absorb heat energy, and stop the warmth from escaping into space. Without the entrapment of heat, the earth’s mean temperature would be -180 C and life, as we know it today, would not be possible. These gases are present in the atmosphere in tiny quantities compared to the amounts of oxygen and nitrogen. But even a small change in the concentration of these gases may create an effect that could change our
The issue of global warming should be on the list of our top priorities. Studies show that the average of global temperatures have risen since the Industrial Revolution began. Since the Industrial Revolution, human emissions has quadrupled the frequency of certain heat extremes and many scientists have warned that a failure to bring greenhouse gases under control could eventually lead to a 62-fold increase in extreme heat blasts (Gillis Justin A17). Most of the increase is due to human activities, especially the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation. These activities contribute to a build-up in carbon dioxide and other gases in Earth’s atmosphere. The Earth’s atmosphere is made of gases like nitrogen, carbon dioxide and oxygen. These gases act as a blanket that covers and gives us warmth, but once these gases such as carbon dioxide absorbs heat, but does not release it back into space in which causes the increase in global temperature. This is called the greenhouse effect because it only traps heat but does not release it.
The greenhouse effect is what allows life on Earth and the atmosphere contains trace gases which are designed to retain heat. The gases that are present in the atmosphere are water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, ozone, and nitrous oxide. These gases act as a global insulator and help control the Earth’s atmosphere. It all begins with sunlight which is a form of energy that is mostly absorbed by land, oceans, and a portion of the sunlight is reflected back to the atmosphere. Once the earth warms up, it then gives off energy in a different form which is called infrared radiation or electromagnetic radiation. The planet need some of the greenhouse gases because without them the
Earth is the only place in the universe that can support human life. It is very important that we realize this fact and take very good care of it. Various human activities cause the destruction of earth. Human beings can live a few days without food and water however humans can last only a few seconds without oxygen. Various human activities lead to the aggravation of the quality of air. Gases produced by human activities mainly due to exploitation of resources and industrialization cause air pollution. Green house gases mainly chlorofluorocarbons; carbon