Interactions in The Atmosphere

Interactions in the Atmosphere
Getting Started
What makes up Earth’s atmosphere?

How do human activities and necessities affect the condition of the atmosphere?
Our atmosphere is an envelope of air that surrounds Earth. Similar to sea creatures
that live at the bottom of the ocean, humans live at the bottom of this vast sea of nitrogen,
oxygen, and other trace gases
In recent years, the study of the atmosphere has expanded because of advances in
technology. Every aspect of the atmosphere, from the ground to outer space, is now being
studied through the umbrella term atmospheric science. On the other hand, meteorology is a
term more commonly applied to the study of the lower atmosphere, where weather patterns
are evident. The continuous changing of the lower atmospheric condition is called weather,
while the long-term weather condition in a specific place is called climate.
However, no matter how important the atmosphere is to organisms on Earth,
anthropogenic practices or pollution from human activities tend to contaminate the
surroundings and damage the envelope of gas that protects the planet from the harmful
ultraviolet rays of the sun. Environmental issues such as the greenhouse effect, ozone holes,
and global warming are becoming serious concern. Nowadays, humans realize the magnitude
of these occurrences to atmospheric conditions and to life in general.
Getting Informed
1. Troposphere- it is the lowest thermal subdivision of the atmosphere, extending from
the Earth’s surface to around 8-16 km above the surface.
- It is the layer where weather disturbances, like typhoons and
cyclones, occur.
- Its air temperature drops with every rise in altitude.
2. Stratosphere- it is around 30-50 km above Earth’s surface
- Temperature increases slightly in the ozone layer.
- On the lower part of this layer, planes fly to avoid weather
disturbances on the troposphere.
- It is considered as the primary site of ozone formation.
3. Mesosphere- temperature drops at this layer
- it is around 80 km above the ground
- it is where the coldest point in the atmosphere can be found
4. Thermosphere/Ionosphere- it is around 80 km and above.
- The air is very thin in this layer
- The sun’s energy strips the electrons from the atoms of nitrogen
and oxygen in this layer.
- It is important for radio wave transmission.
5. Exosphere- this is the uppermost layer of the atmosphere and is also known as outer
space.
Composition of the atmosphere
Nitrogen and oxygen are the dominant gases occupying Earth’s atmosphere. These
gases are vital in sustaining life on Earth since both are involved in the process of
photosynthesis through which plants convert light energy into chemical energy.
Name Percentage by volume
Nitrogen (N) 78.1
Oxygen (O) 20.9
Argon (Ar) 0.90
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) 0.03
Others 0.07
Other substances found in the atmosphere are water vapor, ozone, ammonia, hydrogen
sulfide, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, and many others.
Ozone Layer
The ozone layer is situated in the stratosphere but a small amount of ozone also
occurs in the troposphere. Ozone (O3) is formed by the separation of molecular oxygen (O 2)
and its combining with atomic oxygen (O). The ozone layer prevents harmful radiations such
as UV rays from reaching Earth by absorbing the ultraviolet radiation released by the sun.
The Movement of Wind in the Atmosphere
Land Breeze and Sea Breeze

Sea breeze refers to the main wind movement that blows from the sea towards the
land at daytime. This is evident in places close to the seashore where, during the day, the sun
heats up the land quicker than the seawater. Since the air above land absorb heat fast, it also
warms up faster than the air above the sea. This warm air is less dense than cold air, so it
tends to rise up the atmosphere while cool air stays at the bottom. Therefore, warm air above
the land ascends and leaves space for the cold air to occupy on the land surface.
Source: https://www.vectorstock.com/royalty-free-vector/diagram-showing-sea-breeze-with-
ocean-and-land-vector-28552054
On the other hand, land breeze occurs at nighttime when the air above the land flows
towards the sea. In the daylight, the land absorbs heat faster than water and releases heat just
quickly when the sun down. The seawater contrasts this process.
At night, the air above the sea is warmer than the air above the land, causing the
former to rise. Meanwhile, cold air places high pressure on the land surface, so the wind
blows from the land to the sea, replacing the warm air. The exchange of the rising warm air
and the dropping cool air is known as convection. This process enables the air to travel from
the land to the sea and vice versa
Source: https://www.vectorstock.com/royalty-free-vector/diagram-showing-circulation-land-
breeze-vector-26966404
Monsoons
The monsoons or seasonal winds are directional changes in the flow of the dominant
winds of a region. The monsoons produce the wet and the dry seasons throughout many
tropical countries such as the Philippines.
In this country, there are two prevailing monsoons:
a. Northeast Monsoon or Amihan- comes in October to February and brings cold air
b. Southwest Monsoon or Habagat- comes in May to September and brings moderate
to heavy rains.
The Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITZC) is a region in the atmosphere where

hot and cold trade winds in the Northern and the Southern hemispheres meet, resulting in rain
showers that may lead to flashfloods in affected areas.
Storms are often produced where the warm air and the cold air converge along a front.
Because of this, the water vapor in the cloud moves upward, condenses, and freezes until it
results in precipitation (e.g., storms, rainfall, and drizzle).
As tropical country surrounded by seas and oceans, the Philippines becomes highly
susceptible to storms and typhoons. The ocean water’s constant exposure to the sun makes it
warm, resulting in the formation of dense clouds, and eventually, typhoons near the
archipelago.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmospheric_circulation
References:
 Retrieved from World Wide Web: https://www.rajras.in/atmosphere-
composition-and-basic-nutrient-cycles/
 R. Dona, J. Espinosa, J. Gaviola, and R. Rosas (2019) Science in Everyday Living
7 Brilliant Creations Publishing , Inc. pp. 244-261

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Interactions in The Atmosphere

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Interactions in the Atmosphere

What makes up Earth’s atmosphere?

The Movement of Wind in the Atmosphere

Land Breeze and Sea Breeze

The Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITZC) is a region in the atmosphere where

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