Atmosphere illustration. ©2021 Merdeka.com/Pexels-Pixabay
Merdeka.com – The atmosphere is The word comes from the Greek word “Atmos” which means “water vapor or gas” and “Sphaira” which means “blanket”. So, the atmosphere is a layer of gas that surrounds a planet, including the earth we live in, with a thickness of approximately 1,000 km from the surface. earth.
The atmosphere is one of the main components of the Earth’s physical system. This layer is made of gas that surrounds planets or other celestial bodies. on planet earth, atmospheric components is a layer consisting of about 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and one percent other gases.
The atmosphere is a layer that protects life on earth from ultraviolet radiation (UV) that enters, keeps the earth warm through insulation, and prevents temperature extremes between day and night. The sun heats the layers of the atmosphere causing convection which drives air movement and weather patterns around the world.
Here we tell you more about what atmosphere is layers gas that surrounds the earth complete with its function.
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Atmosphere Function
After knowing the atmosphere is the protective layer of the earth. Know the following functions of the atmosphere.
Protects the earth from harmful solar radiation: The function of the atmosphere is to protect the earth from damaging ultraviolet (UV) radiation particles from the sun. These UV particles can cause skin cancer and damage to DNA.
Maintains stable temperature and humidity: The function of the atmosphere is to help maintain the temperature and humidity of the earth to remain stable. Gases such as carbon dioxide and methane play an important role in maintaining this temperature through a process known as the “greenhouse effect”.
Prevents overheating: The atmosphere also helps prevent excessive heating of the Earth by reflecting unabsorbed sunlight back into space.
Facilitates weather and wind movement: The atmosphere plays an important role in shaping the weather and facilitating the movement of winds. Gases such as water vapor form clouds and help make rain. Wind occurs due to differences in air pressure.
Help maintain the climate balance: The atmosphere helps maintain the Earth’s climatic balance by maintaining temperature and facilitating heat transfer between hemispheres.
Provides oxygen for the respiration of living things: The function of the atmosphere is to contain the oxygen needed by living things to breathe. Plants produce oxygen through the process of photosynthesis.
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Atmosphere Layers
After knowing the atmosphere is the protective layer of the earth. Know the layers of the atmosphere and their explanation below.
Troposphere
Quoting from space.com, the troposphere is the lowest and densest layer of the atmosphere and according to NIWA (National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research), about 75% of all the air in the atmosphere is in this layer. The troposphere extends from the surface of the earth about 5 to 9 miles (8 to 14.5 km) high.
Gases are constantly mixed in the troposphere and most of Earth’s weather is found here. Turbulence in the troposphere is created when the sun warms the earth’s surface, warming the air above it.
Warm air rises and then expands (due to lower air pressure) and cools. The sinking cold air forms a high pressure system. According to WorldAtlas most helicopters and light aircraft fly in the troposphere.
Stratosphere
The stratosphere is the second layer in Earth’s atmosphere. The stratosphere begins above the troposphere and extends about 31 miles (50 km) in height.
According to NIWA, most of the ozone found in Earth’s atmosphere is in the stratosphere. Ozone protects us by absorbing harmful UV rays from the sun. Absorption of UV radiation heats the stratosphere and the temperature in this layer actually increases with altitude.
Temperatures in the stratosphere range from about -60 degrees Fahrenheit (-51 degrees Celsius) at the bottom to 5 degrees F (-15 degrees C) at the top. Commercial airplanes tend to fly in the lower stratosphere to avoid weather systems in the troposphere, according to the aviation education website Aero Corner.
mesosphere
The mesosphere is the third layer of the Earth’s atmosphere. According to NASA, the mesosphere begins just above the stratosphere and extends to an altitude of about 53 miles (85 km).
The upper part of the mesosphere, called the mesopause, is the coldest part of Earth’s atmosphere, with an average temperature of minus 130 degrees F (minus 90 degrees C), according to the National Center for Atmospheric Research. Most meteors burn in this layer, and tall clouds known as noctilucent clouds (also known as polar mesosphere clouds) also occasionally form in the mesosphere.
Thermosphere
The fourth layer of the atmosphere is the thermosphere. This layer begins just above the mesosphere and extends to about 372 miles (600 km), according to NASA. The thermosphere is another layer of the atmosphere where temperature increases with altitude. This rise in temperature is caused by the absorption of ultraviolet and X-rays emitted from the sun.
The thermosphere is considered part of Earth’s atmosphere, but the extremely low air density in most of this layer makes it commonly considered outer space. In fact, this is where space shuttles fly and where the International Space Station orbits Earth.
exosphere
The exosphere is the highest layer of Earth’s atmosphere and extends from above the thermosphere about 6,200 miles (10,000 km) above Earth’s surface according to NASA. The exosphere is composed of hydrogen and helium particles, which are so widely distributed that they rarely collide.
Ionosphere
The ionosphere is a very active layer of Earth’s atmosphere that spans the mesosphere, thermosphere and exosphere. The ionosphere is the place where the beautiful aurora displays dance in the night sky.
Here, ions from the solar wind collide with oxygen and hydrogen molecules in the atmosphere, pulling them to higher energy levels. Atoms release this excess energy by emitting photons of light, which we see as the colorful aurora borealis and aurora australis.
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Atmosphere Components
Nitrogen (78,1%)
Although nitrogen is the most abundant gas in the atmosphere, it only makes up 0.005% of the weight of the earth’s crust. Nitrogen is very stable and requires a lot of energy to change form.
Despite its relatively small volume in the Earth’s crust, nitrogen plays an important role in the nitrogen cycle. As part of this cycle, nitrogen is constantly exchanged between the atmosphere and living organisms.
Oxygen (20.9%)
Oxygen is very important for human life because our lungs inhale oxygen and use it in metabolism. Although nitrogen is a very stable gas, it is difficult to break down and use in chemical processes.
But oxygen will easily take part in chemical reactions because it can steal electrons. So even though nitrogen is abundant, we need oxygen to drive chemical reactions that produce energy.
Argon (0,93%)
As an inert gas, argon does not bind or do much in the atmosphere. This is why there is no argon cycle. But we have nitrogen and carbon because of their ability to bind with other elements.
Carbon Dioxide (0.04%)
Carbon is the most important element for building molecules that are essential for living things. Carbon has various forms such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and glucose (C6H12O6).
Since 1900, carbon dioxide has increased mainly due to human activities. After extracting fossil fuels, humans burn fossil fuels. In turn, gases such as methane and carbon dioxide pollute the air in the atmosphere.
Other Gases
What remains of the atmosphere are trace gases. For example, neon, helium, methane, methane and krypton are some of the main trace gases that make up a small part of the atmosphere. Even humans can cause some traces of gas.
For example, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) which have damaged the ozone layer at the north and south poles.
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