Why Atmosphere is Important and Composition of Earth

Ozone Layer

A layer of the atmosphere where ozone gas is more highly concentrated.

Respiration

Breath

What are the most important greenhouse gases?

Carbon Dioxide, Methane, Water Vapor, and Ozone.

What happens in the mesosphere?

Chemical reactions driven by sunlight- keeps us protected from meteoroids.

Why is Earth the only planet to be known to hold life?

Earth has an atmosphere, we need the gases in order to live. Water and the water cycle is also a main importance.

What would happen if Earth had NO atmosphere?

Earth would be harsh and barren and unable to support life.

Sound

Energy that travels through a medium that we can hear.

Where does the weather occur?

In the troposphere.

Atmosphere

Layer of gases that surrounds a planet. Also called air.

What is made in the thermosphere?

Molecules become charged and turn into ions- positively and negatively charged particles.

List some gases in Earth's atmosphere

Nitrogen Oxygen Methane Argon Water Vapor Carbon Dioxide, ect...

What are the gases make up the Earth?

Nitrogen- 78% Oxygen- 21% Other Traces of Gases- 1%

If the humidity is 95% does that mean 95% of the air is water vapor?

No, even when humidity is at its high it's only 4%.

Particulates

Particles of dust, soil, fecal matter, metals, salt, smoke, ash, and other soil particles.

Humidity

The amount of water vapor held in the air.

How does the atmosphere protect us from the sun's harsh rays?

The gases absorb and reflect the strongest rays of sunlight.

How does the atmosphere keep Earth warm?

The greenhouse effect- keeps the excess sunlight from escaping; causing our Earth to stay warm.

How is sound transferred through the atmosphere?

The sound travels through gases- which it couldn't do without the atmosphere.

What are the two major atmospheric gases and what roles do they play?

The two major gases are nitrogen and oxygen. Nitrogen makes up the bulk of Earth's atmosphere while oxygen allows organisms to live and breathe.

Water Vapor

The water from different sources that is vaporized and sent into the air.

Weathering

The wearing of rocks from Earth's surface.

What would happen if there was no ozone layer in Earth's atmosphere?

There would be no life because the ozone layer protects us from high UV light reflection. We would have severe skin cancer and and sunburns.

What does the atmosphere protect us from? In which layer?

Too much sunlight (UV Rays) and stratosphere.

How does the atmosphere play a role in the water cycle?

Water evaporates and cools as it goes into the atmosphere-it then follows the water cycle.

What happened if we weren't protected from the sun's most powerful rays?

We would have severe sunburns and skin cancer.

Photosynthesis

When plants produce simple sugars from Oxygen, Carbon Dioxide, and sunlight. Causes carbon dioxide to release oxygen.