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Atmosphere of Earth

The atmosphere of Earth is composed primarily of nitrogen (78.09%), oxygen (20.95%), and argon (0.93%). It protects life on Earth by creating pressure for liquid water, absorbing ultraviolet radiation, trapping heat, and reducing temperature extremes. The atmosphere has changed dramatically over time due to events like the Great Oxidation Event and recent human-caused pollution. It becomes thinner with increasing altitude and transitions gradually into outer space, though definitions place the boundary at 100km.

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97 views2 pages

Atmosphere of Earth

The atmosphere of Earth is composed primarily of nitrogen (78.09%), oxygen (20.95%), and argon (0.93%). It protects life on Earth by creating pressure for liquid water, absorbing ultraviolet radiation, trapping heat, and reducing temperature extremes. The atmosphere has changed dramatically over time due to events like the Great Oxidation Event and recent human-caused pollution. It becomes thinner with increasing altitude and transitions gradually into outer space, though definitions place the boundary at 100km.

Uploaded by

Boubacar Moussa Kodo
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Atmosphere of Earth

The atmosphere of Earth is the layer of gases, commonly known as air, retained
by Earth's gravity, surrounding the planet Earth and forming its planetary
atmosphere. The atmosphere of Earth protects life on Earth by creating pressure
allowing for liquid water to exist on the Earth's surface, absorbing ultraviolet solar
radiation, warming the surface through heat retention (greenhouse effect), and
reducing temperature extremes between day and night (the diurnal temperature
variation).

By volume, dry air contains 78.09% nitrogen, 20.95% oxygen, 0.93% argon,
0.04% carbon dioxide, and small amounts of other gases.[8] Air also contains a
variable amount of water vapor, on average around 1% at sea level, and 0.4% over
the entire atmosphere. Air composition, temperature, and atmospheric pressure
vary with altitude, and air suitable for use in photosynthesis by terrestrial plants
and breathing of terrestrial animals is found only in Earth's troposphere and in
artificial atmospheres.

Earth's atmosphere has changed much since its formation as primarily a hydrogen
atmosphere, and has changed dramatically on several occasions—for example,
the Great Oxidation Event 2.4 billion years ago, greatly increased oxygen in the
atmosphere from practically no oxygen to levels closer to present day. Humans
have also contributed to significant changes in atmospheric composition through
air pollution, especially since industrialisation, leading to rapid environmental
change such as ozone depletion and global warming.

The atmosphere has a mass of about 5.15×1018 kg, [9] three quarters of which is
within about 11 km (6.8 mi; 36,000 ft) of the surface. The atmosphere becomes
thinner and thinner with increasing altitude, with no definite boundary between
the atmosphere and outer space. The Kármán line, at 100 km (62 mi), or 1.57%
of Earth's radius, is often used as the border between the atmosphere and outer
space. Atmospheric effects become noticeable during atmospheric reentry of
spacecraft at an altitude of around 120 km (75 mi). Several layers can be
distinguished in the atmosphere, based on characteristics such as temperature and
composition.
The study of Earth's atmosphere and its processes is called atmospheric science
(aerology), and includes multiple subfields, such as climatology and atmospheric
physics. Early pioneers in the field include Léon Teisserenc de Bort and Richard
Assmann.[10] The study of historic atmosphere is called paleoclimatology.

References
[1] "Gateway to Astonaut Photos of Earth". NASA. Retrieved 2018-01-29.
[2] "Trends in Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide", Global Greenhouse Gas Reference Network,
NOAA, 2019, retrieved 2019-05-31
[3] "Trends in Atmospheric Methane", Global Greenhouse Gas Reference Network, NOAA,
2019, retrieved 2019-05-31
[4] Haynes, H. M., ed. (2016–2017), CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics (97th ed.), CRC
Press, p. 14-3, ISBN 978-1-4987-5428-6, which cites Allen's Astrophysical Quantities but
includes only ten of its largest constituents.
[5] Cox, Arthur N., ed. (2000), Allen's Astrophysical Quantities (Fourth ed.), AIP Press, pp.
258–259, ISBN 0-387-98746-0, which rounds N2 and O2 to four significant digits without
affecting the total because 0.004% was removed from N2 and added to O2. It includes 20
constituents.
[6] National Aeronautics and Space Administration (1976), U.S. Standard Atmosphere, 1976
(PDF), p. 3
[7] Allen, C. W. (1976), Astrophysical Quantities (Third ed.), Athlone Press, p. 119, ISBN 0-
485-11150-0
[9] Lide, David R. Handbook of Chemistry and Physics. Boca Raton, FL: CRC, 1996: 14–17
[10]Vázquez, M.; Hanslmeier, A. (2006). "Historical Introduction". Ultraviolet Radiation in the
Solar System. Astrophysics and Space Science Library. 331. Springer Science & Business
Media. p. 17. Bibcode:2005ASSL..331.....V. doi:10.1007/1-4020-3730-9_1. ISBN 978-1-
4020-3730-6.

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