Why is it so important to life on earth? Earth’s Atmosphere Why is it so important to life on earth?

Atmosphere The atmosphere is a mixture of gases that surrounds the planet and makes conditions on Earth suitable for living things.-all life on Earth depends on the gases that are in the atmosphere

Why is the Earth’s atmosphere important? It contains oxygen and other gases that we need to live Protects from the sun’s damaging UV rays Regulates the temperatures on Earth

Atmosphere Nitrogen - 78% Oxygen - 21% Water Vapor – 0 to 4% Used for clouds and precipitation Carbon Dioxide - .037% Keeps Earth warm and is used by plants to make food Argon - .93% Traces of neon, helium, methane, krypton, xenon, hydrogen, and ozone

Nitrogen (78%) Nitrogen, the most common atmospheric gas, is released when dead plants and dead animals break down and when volcanoes erupt.

Oxygen (21%) Oxygen, the second most common atmospheric gas, is made by phytoplankton and plants.

Other Gases (1%) The remaining 1% of the atmosphere is made up of argon, (carbon dioxide, water vapor, methane-Greenhouse gases) and other gases.

Other Particles in the Atmosphere Dust, volcanic ash, sea salt, dirt and smoke Water Vapor condenses on these particles in the Earth’s Atmosphere to form clouds

Earth’s atmosphere is made up of 5 different layers…

Did you know that The Science Monkey Is Excited? Say it with me… The Science Monkey Is Excited

I know you are thinking…what is he talking about??? The Science Monkey Is Excited MEANS…. Troposphere Stratosphere Mesosphere Ionosphere (Thermosphere) Exosphere THE FIVE LAYERS OF THE EARTH’S ATMOSPHERE FROM THE EARTH OUT!

Why is the atmosphere divided into 5 different layers? Any guesses? The atmosphere is divided into five different layers because the atmosphere is not uniform, its properties change with altitude. Two properties change with altitude, the AIR PRESSURE and the AIR TEMPERATURE Lets look at each layer individually.

Layers of the Atmosphere Earth’s atmosphere is divided into several different atmospheric layers extending from Earth’s surface outward.

Air Pressure Click Here Air Pressure-The weight of the air molecules above you due to gravity

Altitude and Air Pressure

The first layer of the atmosphere is the… TROPOSPHERE The troposphere is where all the weather occurs. It is the closest layer to Earth’s surface. Thinnest layer It is the layer we live in. Most of the air that makes up the atmosphere is found in the troposphere. - it is the densest layer- because of the Earth’s gravity

The second layer of the atmosphere is the… STRATOSPHERE The temperature goes up with altitude. Most jets fly in this layer. The protective ozone is at the top of the atmosphere (It protects us from the ultraviolet radiation of the sun.) Rivers of air, called Jet Streams, can be found at the base of this layer.

The third layer of the atmosphere is the… MESOSPHERE In the mesosphere, the temperature drops with altitude. The mesosphere is the coldest layer of the atmosphere. Meteors burn up in this layer.

The fourth layer of the atmosphere is the… THERMOSPHERE In the thermosphere the temperature goes up with altitude. Thickest Layer-Thermosphere The thermosphere is the hottest layer of the atmosphere. Curtains of light called auroras occur in this layer. The Ionosphere is found in the thermosphere. This is the component of the thermosphere that makes the auroras. AM Radio Waves reflect in this layer-Ionosphere

The last layer of the atmosphere is the… EXOSPHERE The exosphere is the outermost layer of the atmosphere. Satellites orbit earth in the exosphere.

Atmospheric Temperatures In the troposphere: As altitude increases, temperature decreases Altitude Temperature

Altitude, Air Pressure, and Temperature

Atmospheric Temperatures Temperature Altitude Outer Space Exosphere Thermosphere Mesosphere Stratosphere Troposphere Earth’s Surface

It is important to understand the different characteristics of the earth’s atmosphere. As you go through the following slides, challenge your partner to see who can name the correct layer in which each characteristic can be found. GOOD LUCK!

EXOSPHERE

MESOSPHERE

THERMOSPHERE

TROPOSPHERE

STRATOSPHERE

THERMOSPHERE OR THE IONOSPHERE

MESOSPHERE