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The atmosphere of the earth is formed by the mixture of gases which always present surrounds the Earth. The atmosphere of the Earth helps to make possible the life. The atmosphere of the earth helps to provide air to breathe, shielding from the harmful ultraviolet rays (UV rays) coming from the Sun.
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The atmosphere is a layer of gases that surrounds a planet and held in place by gravitational force of the planet which is a vital component of a planet’s ecosystem. If we talking about the earth’s atmosphere so the earth’s atmosphere make possible the life on the planet.
– The atmosphere provides air to breath
– The atmosphere protects from the harmful ultraviolet rays (UV rays) coming from the Sun
– The atmosphere trapes the heat to warm the planet,
– The atmosphere prevents extreme temperature differences between day and night.
– The atmosphere helps maintain a habitable climate
– Most importantly the atmosphere provides water on the planet by the combination of gases.
What is Atmosphere?
Atmosphere is a gaseous cover of the planet, which is known as the earth and the earth is enveloped by a deep blanket of gases extending to several kilometres above their surface. The atmosphere is also an integral part of the earth like Lithosphere and Hydrosphere (Land and Water).
As compared to the radius of the earth’s atmosphere the air and other gases are found in a very thin layer in the earth’s atmosphere and because of the gravitational force of the earth these are inseparable from the earth.
What is Atmospheric Pressure?
Atmospheric pressure, also known as air pressure or barometric pressure. Atmospheric pressure is the force exerted by the weight of air above a given point on Earth’s surface. It’s essentially the pressure exerted by the atmosphere on all objects within it. This pressure is caused by the weight of the air molecules, which are pulled down by gravity
What is the unit to measure the atmospheric pressure?
The most common unit for measuring atmospheric pressure is the Pascal (Pa). In meteorology, atmospheric pressure is reported in hectopascals (hPa). 1 hPa is equal to 100 Pa, the pascal being the basic SI (System of International Unit) .
List of the gases present in the earth’s atmosphere.
| Name of the Gases | Chemical Symbol |
| Nitrogen | N2 |
| Oxygen | O2 |
| Argon | Ar |
| Carbon dioxide | CO2 |
| Neon | Ne |
| Helium | He |
| Methane | CH4 |
| Krypton | Kr |
| Hydrogen | H2 |
| Nitrous oxide | N2O |
| Carbon monoxide | CO |
| Xenon | Xe |
| Ozone | O3 |
| Nitrogen dioxide | NO2 |
| Iodine | I2 |
| Ammonia | NH3 |
Role of Earth’s Atmosphere
Weather Formation – Weather formation is an important phenomenon for our atmosphere which occurs due to the combination of various climatic factors.
Responsible for life on the earth – Atmosphere is creates weather and change in weather is responsible and dictated for the growth of vegetation on the earth.
Helpful for human settlements – Changes in the weather helps a number of natural or man-made processes like plant growth, agriculture, soil-formation etc. Which is helpful for the exitance of human on the earth.
Provides vital air – The atmosphere helps to provide various gases like oxygen, carbon dioxide, nitrogen etc. As the oxygen is the vital air for the life on the planet because animals and many other organisms need oxygen for their survival including humans.
Survival of vegetation on the earth – The atmosphere provides carbon dioxide in the air which is the essential element for the growth and survival of the plants on the planet.
Helpful to maintain temperature on the earth – The atmosphere helps to maintain a specific range of temperature which is important for the exitance of life on the earth and their their biophysical processes.
Absorb solar radiation – The sun always produced a harmful solar radiation which is dangerous for the exitance of the life on the earth but atmosphere of the earth absorb and block the solar radiation to reach on the earth specially the Harmful ultraviolet radiation .
Maintain the warmness of the earth – The atmosphere maintain the warmness on the earth or stop to go back. Otherwise In the absence of the atmosphere extremes of temperature would exist between day and night over the earth’s surface.
Give protection from extra-terrestrial objects – The atmosphere also takes care of extra-terrestrial objects like meteors which get burnt up due to friction while passing through the atmosphere specially from the layer of mesosphere.
Related Notes
Layers of Earth’s Atmosphere | World Geography | UPSC | SSC
Composition of the Earth’s Atmosphere – UPSC | SSC
Try to read these as well
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