Delete Quiz. Question 1. What gas makes up the majority of the Earth's atmosphere? Carbon dioxide. What might happen if the earth didn't have an atmosphere? Everything would go flying off into space. We wouldn't be able to breathe. The earth's rotation would stop. The seasons would be longer. A, C, B.
B, A, C. C, B, A. C, A, B. Why is it difficult to breathe at high altitudes? Because you are closer to the sun the higher you go. Because atmospheric gases become thinner the higher you go.
Because there is more carbon dioxide the higher you go. Because there is no oxygen in the troposphere. If you wanted to fly through a cloud, which atmospheric layer would you fly through? The atmosphere protects the earth from incoming ultraviolet radiation and it also warms the planet by retaining heat. These particles are widely spread apart and rarely collide with one another. The exosphere is often considered as part of outer space, since there is not a clear boundary to its limits.
The gases found in the exosphere include the lightest gases, such as hydrogen, helium, atomic oxygen, and carbon dioxide, which lie near the thermopause. The thermosphere layer begins at approximately 85 km 53 miles. Particles are widely spaced apart, and a molecule of oxygen may travel for about I km 0. The Hubble Space Telescope orbits the upper region of this layer at about km miles of altitude. Space shuttles orbit in this layer, as well.
The color displays of auroras are produced in this layer, when charged particles from space collide with atoms and molecules exciting them into higher states of energy. When excited electrons return to their normal states, they emit photons of light, producing auroras at the poles. The mesosphere extends from the stratopause, at 50 km 31 miles , to about km miles in height.
This is the layer where most meteors burn up when they enter the atmosphere. At the very top of this layer, the condensation of crystals of water ice around frozen water vapor forms noctilucent clouds. The stratosphere extends from around 11 km 6. Most commercial air travel occurs in the lower section of the stratosphere. Ozone concentrations absorb ultraviolet radiation, thus, protecting life on Earth.
Atmospheric ozone, which is a reactive form of oxygen, is concentrated in a thin layer in the upper stratosphere at around km miles. The troposphere, which is the lower layer of the atmosphere, occupies the first 11 km 6. In the troposphere, the gases that compose the air we breathe are continuously circulating.
In this layer the temperature decreases by about 6. Most of the weather changes, including precipitation, temperature, wind and atmospheric pressure, occur in the troposphere. The elements composing the stratosphere are uniformly distributed with the exception of water vapor which exists in abundance at ground surface.
The thin layer surrounding the Earth that we know as atmosphere contains a mixture of gases. Argon comprises 0. Carbon dioxide abounds in about 0. Helium, krypton, neon, hydrogen, xenon, among other gases exist in minor quantities. All these gases are held in the atmosphere by the force of gravity.
Returned to the atmosphere through the decaying of plant and animal matter. Oxygen: Removed from atmosphere by when organic matter decays, combines with other substances, or is taken in during breathing.
Is added to the atmosphere through photosynthesis by plants. Yet several of these trace gases are essential for the life that has developed on Earth. Water Vapor: The gas phase of water. Water vapor is literally individual molecules of H 2 O that are part of the collection of gases in the atmosphere. Varies greatly from place to place, and from time to time. It averages only about 0. Enters the atmosphere through evaporation of liquid water. Water vapor condenses into liquid and solid cloud particles that grow in size and fall to earth as precipitation Redistributes heat energy on earth and is important to the formation of storms.
This is because large quantities of energy are involved in phase changes: Evaporation liquid to gas energy is absorbed from environment Condensation gas to liquid energy is released to the environment Is a strong greenhouse gas that warms the earth's surface and its atmosphere. In fact water vapor is the most important greenhouse gas on Earth in that it contributes most to the atmospheric greenhouse effect.
Carbon Dioxide: Second most important greenhouse gas on Earth. Enters the atmosphere through the decay of vegetation, volcanic eruptions, respiration , burning of fossil fuels, and from deforestation. It is removed from the atmosphere by photosynthesis , and the oceans. Concentration has been increasing due to human activities, mainly buring fossil fuels and deforestation. There is concern that this will strengthen the natural greenhouse effect leading to global warming, sea level rise, and other potentially harmful climate changes.
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