The document summarizes the composition and structure of Earth's atmosphere. It is comprised of five main layers - troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere. By volume, the atmosphere consists mainly of nitrogen (78%), oxygen (21%), and argon (1%). Trace amounts of other gases like carbon dioxide, methane, and ozone are also present. The atmosphere stretches over 6,000 miles high but is concentrated within the first 60 miles. Water vapor and carbon dioxide levels have increased since the industrial era due to human activities like burning fossil fuels. Oxygen originated from photosynthetic cyanobacteria while nitrogen is abundant due to the radioactive decay of potassium-40 into argon.
The document summarizes the composition and structure of Earth's atmosphere. It is comprised of five main layers - troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere. By volume, the atmosphere consists mainly of nitrogen (78%), oxygen (21%), and argon (1%). Trace amounts of other gases like carbon dioxide, methane, and ozone are also present. The atmosphere stretches over 6,000 miles high but is concentrated within the first 60 miles. Water vapor and carbon dioxide levels have increased since the industrial era due to human activities like burning fossil fuels. Oxygen originated from photosynthetic cyanobacteria while nitrogen is abundant due to the radioactive decay of potassium-40 into argon.
The document summarizes the composition and structure of Earth's atmosphere. It is comprised of five main layers - troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere. By volume, the atmosphere consists mainly of nitrogen (78%), oxygen (21%), and argon (1%). Trace amounts of other gases like carbon dioxide, methane, and ozone are also present. The atmosphere stretches over 6,000 miles high but is concentrated within the first 60 miles. Water vapor and carbon dioxide levels have increased since the industrial era due to human activities like burning fossil fuels. Oxygen originated from photosynthetic cyanobacteria while nitrogen is abundant due to the radioactive decay of potassium-40 into argon.
The document summarizes the composition and structure of Earth's atmosphere. It is comprised of five main layers - troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere. By volume, the atmosphere consists mainly of nitrogen (78%), oxygen (21%), and argon (1%). Trace amounts of other gases like carbon dioxide, methane, and ozone are also present. The atmosphere stretches over 6,000 miles high but is concentrated within the first 60 miles. Water vapor and carbon dioxide levels have increased since the industrial era due to human activities like burning fossil fuels. Oxygen originated from photosynthetic cyanobacteria while nitrogen is abundant due to the radioactive decay of potassium-40 into argon.
PHERE LAYERS OF EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE Troposphere Stratosphere Mesosphere Thermosphere Ionosphere Exosphere THICKNESS OF THE ATMOSPHERE The atmosphere refers to the layer of gases that surrounds the Earth.
Earth's atmosphere stretches from the
surface of the planet up to as far as 10,000 kilometers (6,214 miles) above. After that, the atmosphere blends into space. Everything that happens on our planet above the ground is taking place in Earth's protective envelope called the atmosphere. While more than 6,000 miles thick, the atmosphere is comprised of five distinct layers. COMPOSITION OF THE ATMOSPHERE By volume, the dry air in Earth's atmosphere is about 78.08 percent nitrogen, 20.95 percent oxygen, and 0.93 percent argon. A brew of trace gases accounts for the other approximately 0.04 percent, including the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and ozone. Permanent gases are relatively stable and Variable gases are those that are readily as such they have very long residence exchanged between the atmosphere and times. Due to long residence times the surface of the Earth through various permanent gases constitute the bulk of the processes. atmosphere's mass. WATER VAPOR H2O The atmosphere is rarely, if ever, dry. Water vapor (water in a gas state) is nearly always present, up to about 4% of the total volume. In the Earth's desert regions (30°N/S), when dry winds are blowing, the water vapor contribution to the composition of the atmosphere will be near zero. CARBON DIOXIDE CO2 In the atmosphere, carbon exists primarily in the form of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane gas (CH4). In the global carbon cycle, the atmosphere serves as a Grand Central Station, with carbon dioxide moving into and out of the atmosphere through multiple natural exchange points such as plants, animals, soils, sediments and oceans. OZONE LAYER O3 Most atmospheric ozone is concentrated in a layer in the stratosphere, about 9 to 18 miles (15 to 30 km) above the Earth's surface. Ozone is a molecule that contains three oxygen atoms. At any given time, ozone molecules are constantly formed and destroyed in the stratosphere. The total amount has remained relatively stable during the decades that it has been measured. METHANE Methane is gas that is found in small quantities in the atmosphere. Methane is the simplest hydrocarbon, consisting of one carbon atom and four hydrogen atoms. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas.
Methane (CH4) is a hydrocarbon that is the
primary component of natural gas and a very potent and important greenhouse gas (GHG). Unlike other GHGs, methane can be According to NOAA, the atmospheric methane converted to usable energy. Capturing and concentration has continued to increase since using methane offers opportunities to 2011 to an average global concentration of generate new sources of clean energy and 1911.8 ± 0.6 ppb as of 2022. The May 2021 mitigate global climate change. peak was 1891.6 ppb, while the April 2022 peak was 1909.4 ppb, a 0.9% increase. OTHER ATMOSPHERIC CONSTITUENTS Atmospheric aerosols consist of small particles of solids, like dust, and liquids, like water, suspended in the atmosphere. Atmospheric aerosols can be either emitted directly into the atmosphere as a particle, like ash, or form when emitted gases undergo complex chemical reactions and condense as particles.
Since the onset of industrial times in the 18th century, human activities have raised atmospheric CO2 by 50% – meaning the amount of CO2 is now 150% of its value in 1750. This human-induced rise is greater than the natural increase observed at the end of the last ice age 20,000 years ago. CARBON INVENTORY The total carbon stored in the earth's surface is estimated at more than 650,000,000 GtC. The majority is stored in glacial deposits and minerals, fossil fuels, and the deep oceans. Atmospheric carbon accounts for a further 750 GtC. WHAT HAPPENED TO N2 Nitrogen dilutes oxygen and prevents rapid or instantaneous burning at the Earth's surface, as oxygen gas is a necessary reactant of the combustion process.
The most abundant naturally
occurring gas is nitrogen (N2), which makes up about 78% of air. WHERE DID O2 COME FROM? Earth's oxygen supply originated with cyanobacteria, tiny water- dwelling organisms that survive by photosynthesis. In that process, the bacteria convert carbon dioxide and water into organic carbon and free oxygen. Oxygen makes up a large part of the world we live in, both the ground and sky. Oxygen makes up 46% of the Earth's crust, largely as silicates, compounds of oxygen and silicon. Oxygen also comprises around 21% of the atmosphere as molecular oxygen and ozone. FORMATION OF THE OZONE O3 Stratospheric ozone is formed naturally through the interaction of solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation with molecular oxygen (O2). The "ozone layer," approximately 6 through 30 miles above the Earth's surface, reduces the amount of harmful UV radiation reaching the Earth's surface. The ozone layer is protective in nature that is it absorbs some part of the harmful ultraviolet radiations coming from the sun. Thus prevents the organisms on earth from harmful ultraviolet rays. It prevents from skin diseases and deadly mutations caused by the ultraviolet radiations. WHERE DID ARGON COME FROM? Argon makes up 0.94% of the Earth's atmosphere and is the third most abundant atmospheric gas. Levels have gradually increased since the Earth was formed because radioactive potassium-40 turns into argon as it decays. Argon is obtained commercially by the distillation of liquid air.
Argon has no known biological role.
Although Argon has no kargon is abundant in the Earth’s atmosphere, it evaded discovery until 1894 when Lord Rayleigh and William Ramsay first separated it from liquid air. In fact the gas had been isolated in 1785 by Henry Cavendish who had noted that about 1% of air would not react even under the most extreme conditions. That 1% was argon.nown biological role. VERTICAL STRUCTURE OF THE ATMOSPHERE The vertical profile of the atmosphere is divided into four layers: troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere and thermosphere. The tops of these layers are known as the tropopause, stratopause, mesopause and thermopause, respectively. VERTICAL STRUCTURE OF COMPOSITION VERTICAL THERMAL STRUCTURE Troposphere: This layer is characterized by a decrease in temperature with respect to height, at a rate of about 6.5ºC per kilometer, up to a height of about 10 km. All the weather activities (water vapour, clouds, precipitation) are confined to this layer. A layer of aerosol particles normally exists near to the earth surface. The aerosol concentration decreases nearly exponentially with height, with a characteristic height of about 2 km. Stratosphere: The temperature at the lower 20 km of the stratosphere is approximately constant, after which the temperature increases with height, up to an altitude of about 50 km. Ozone exists mainly at the stratopause. The troposphere and the stratosphere together account for more than 99% of the total mass of the atmosphere. Mesosphere: The temperature decreases in this layer from an altitude of about 50 km to 85 km. Thermosphere: This layer extends from about 85 km upward to several hundred kilometers. The temperature may range from 500 K to 2000 K. The gases exist mainly in the form of thin plasma, i.e. they are ionized due to bombardment by solar ultraviolet radiation and energetic cosmic rays. VARIATIONS IN TROPOPAUSE HEIGHT The tropopause height varies with latitude since: tropopause height is proportional to the mean tropospheric temperature. higher near the equator - warm troposphere lower at the poles - cold troposphere TROPOSPHERE The troposphere is the lowest layer of Earth's atmosphere, extending from the Earth's surface up to an average altitude of about 12 kilometers
It is the layer where weather occurs,
and it is where we live and breathe.
Hot air balloons and airplanes fly within
the troposphere because it provides the necessary conditions for safe and efficient air travel. er STRATOSPHERE
ay eL Ozon The stratosphere is the layer of Earth's atmosphere located above the
er troposphere. It extends roughly from
ay an altitude of about 12 kilometers to 50
L kilometers above the Earth's surface.
ne The stratosphere is also home to the
zo ozone layer, which shields the Earth
O from harmful UV radiation.
yer Radiosondes can collect data and travel
a L up to the lower part of the
ne stratosphere.
zo O MESOSPHERE The mesosphere is the third layer of Earth's atmosphere. It extends approximately from an altitude of about 50 kilometers to 85 kilometers above the Earth's surface.
The mesosphere is characterized by
thin air and low atmospheric pressure. It is also the layer where meteors burn up upon entry into the Earth's atmosphere, creating the visual phenomenon known as shooting stars. THERMOSPHERE The thermosphere is the fourth layer of Earth's atmosphere. It begins approximately at an altitude of 85 kilometers and has no clearly defined upper boundary. The thermosphere is primarily composed of individual gas molecules, such as oxygen and nitrogen, rather than molecular combinations.
The thermosphere is also where the
auroras, such as the Northern Lights and Southern Lights, occur. IONOSPHERE The Ionosphere is part of Earth's upper atmosphere, between 80 and about 600 km where Extreme UltraViolet (EUV) and x-ray solar radiation ionizes the atoms and molecules thus creating a layer of electrons. the ionosphere is important because it reflects and modifies radio waves used for communication and navigation.
The Ionosphere plays an important role
in radion communication. EXOSPHERE The exosphere is the outermost layer of Earth's atmosphere, located above the thermosphere. It is the uppermost region of the atmosphere and gradually transitions into the vacuum of space.
The exosphere is where satellites and
other human-made objects in Earth's orbit are found. Satellites are strategically placed in orbit within the exosphere to perform their various functions. IT IS THE LAYER WHERE WEATHER OCCURS, AND IT IS WHERE WE LIVE AND BREATHE. TROPOSPHERE IT IS ALSO HOME TO THE OZONE LAYER, WHICH SHIELDS THE EARTH FROM HARMFUL UV RADIATION. STRATOSPHERE THIS LAYER OF THE ATMOSPHERE PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN RADION COMMUNICATION. IONOSPHERE IS WHERE SATELLITES AND OTHER HUMAN-MADE OBJECTS IN EARTH'S ORBIT ARE FOUND. EXOSPHERE IT IS CHARACTERIZED BY THIN AIR AND LOW ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE. MEMOSPHERE IT IS ALSO WHERE THE AURORAS, SUCH AS THE NORTHERN LIGHTS AND SOUTHERN LIGHTS, OCCUR THERMOSPHERE Gas (symbol) Percent (by volume of air)
Nitrogen (N2)
Oxygen (O2)
Argon (Ar) Gas (symbol) Percent (by volume of air)
Nitrogen (N2) 78.08
Oxygen (O2) 20.95
Argon (Ar) 0.93
LAYERS OF EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE LAYERS OF EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE Troposphere Stratosphere Mesosphere Thermosphere Ionosphere Exosphere THANK YOU! PRESS THESE KEYS WHILE ON PRESENT MODE! B for blur C for confetti D for a drumroll
