Composition of Atmosphere

Atmosphere is a gift of Allah. It has much importance for us.
It has covered the earth from four

sides like envelop. It plays an important role in maintaining the heat and temperature of earth and
in transfer of this heat from one place to an other. Position of atmosphere changes in every
moment place to place. The condition of atmosphere at one place or point in given time is called
wether whereas the annual average condition of atmosphere is called climate.Without the
atmosphere there could be no life on Earth. The atmosphere contains the air we breathe and
protects life from harmful radiation from the Sun.
Definition
An atmosphere (from Greek (atmos), meaning "vapour", and (sphaira), meaning "sphere") is a
layer of gases surrounding a planet or other material body of sufficient mass that is held in place
by the gravity of the body. An atmosphere is an envelop that surrounds the earth.
Composition of atmosphere
Table 7a-1 lists the eleven most abundant gases found in the Earth's lower atmosphere by
volume. Of the gases listed, nitrogen, oxygen, water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous
oxide, and ozone are extremely important to the health of the Earth's biosphere.
The table indicates that nitrogen and oxygen are the main components of the atmosphere by
volume. Together these two gases make up approximately 99% of the dry atmosphere. Both of
these gases have very important associations with life. Nitrogen is removed from the atmosphere
and deposited at the Earth's surface mainly by specialized nitrogen fixing bacteria, and by way
of lightning through precipitation. The addition of this nitrogen to the Earth's surface soils and
various water bodies supplies much needed nutrition for plant growth. Nitrogen returns to the
atmosphere primarily through biomass combustion and denitrification .
Oxygen is exchanged between the atmosphere and life through the processes of photosynthesis
and respiration . Photosynthesis produces oxygen when carbon dioxide and water are
chemically converted into glucose with the help of sunlight. Respiration is a the opposite process
of photosynthesis. In respiration, oxygen is combined with glucose to chemically release energy
for metabolism. The products of this reaction are water and carbon dioxide.
The next most abundant gas on the table is water vapor. Water vapor varies in concentration in
the atmosphere both spatially and temporally. The highest concentrations of water vapor are
found near the equator over the oceans and tropical rain forests. Cold polar areas and subtropical
continental deserts are locations where the volume of water vapor can approach zero percent.
Water vapor has several very important functional roles on our planet:
It redistributes heat energy on the Earth through latent heat energy exchange.
The condensation of water vapor creates precipitaion that falls to the Earth's surface
providing needed fresh water for plants and animals.
It helps warm the Earth's atmosphere through the greenhouse effect .
The fifth most abundant gas in the atmosphere is carbon dioxide . The volume of this gas has
increased by over 35% in the last three hundred years (see Figure 7a-1 ). This increase is
primarily due to human induced burning from fossil fuels, deforestation, and other forms of land-
use change. Carbon dioxide is an important greenhouse gas. The human-caused increase in its
concentration in the atmosphere has strengthened the greenhouse effect and has definitely
contributed to global warming over the last 100 years. Carbon dioxide is also naturally
exchanged between the atmosphere and life through the processes of photosynthesis and
respiration .
Methane is a very strong greenhouse gas. Since 1750, methane concentrations in the
atmosphere have increased by more than 150%. The primary sources for the additional methane
added to the atmosphere (in order of importance) are: rice cultivation; domestic grazing animals;
termites; landfills; coal mining; and, oil and gas extraction. Anaerobic conditions associated with
rice paddy flooding results in the formation of methane gas. However, an accurate estimate of
how much methane is being produced from rice paddies has been difficult to ascertain. More than
60% of all rice paddies are found in India and China where scientific data concerning emission
rates are unavailable. Nevertheless, scientists believe that the contribution of rice paddies is large
because this form of crop production has more than doubled since 1950. Grazing animals release
methane to the environment as a result of herbaceous digestion. Some researchers believe the
addition of methane from this source has more than quadrupled over the last century. Termites
also release methane through similar processes. Land-use change in the tropics, due to
deforestation, ranching, and farming, may be causing termite numbers to expand. If this
assumption is correct, the contribution from these insects may be important. Methane is also
released from landfills, coal mines, and gas and oil drilling. Landfills produce methane as organic
wastes decompose over time. Coal, oil, and natural gas deposits release methane to the
atmosphere when these deposits are excavated or drilled.
The average concentration of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide is now increasing at a rate of
0.2 to 0.3% per year. Its part in the enhancement of the greenhouse effect is minor relative to the
other greenhouse gases already mentioned. However, it does have an important role in the
artificial fertilization of ecosystems. In extreme cases, this fertilization can lead to the death of
forests, eutrophication of aquatic habitats, and species exclusion. Sources for the increase of
nitrous oxide in the atmosphere include: land-use conversion; fossil fuel combustion; biomass
burning; and soil fertilization. Most of the nitrous oxide added to the atmosphere each year comes
from deforestation and the conversion of forest, savanna and grassland ecosystems into
agricultural fields and rangeland. Both of these processes reduce the amount of nitrogen stored in
living vegetation and soil through the decomposition of organic matter. Nitrous oxide is also
released into the atmosphere when fossil fuels and biomass are burned. However, the combined
contribution to the increase of this gas in the atmosphere is thought to be minor. The use of nitrate
and ammonium fertilizers to enhance plant growth is another source of nitrous oxide. How much
is released from this process has been difficult to quantify. Estimates suggest that the contribution
from this source represents from 50% to 0.2% of nitrous oxide added to the atmosphere annually.
Ozone's role in the enhancement of the greenhouse effect has been difficult to determine.
Accurate measurements of past long-term (more than 25 years in the past) levels of this gas in the
atmosphere are currently unavailable. Moreover, concentrations of ozone gas are found in two
different regions of the Earth's atmosphere. The majority of the ozone (about 97%) found in the
atmosphere is concentrated in the stratosphere at an altitude of 15 to 55 kilometers above the
Earth's surface. This stratospheric ozone provides an important service to life on the Earth as it
absorbs harmful ultraviolet radiation. In recent years, levels of stratospheric ozone have been
decreasing due to the buildup of human created chlorofluorocarbons in the atmosphere. Since
the late 1970s, scientists have noticed the development of severe holes in the ozone layer over
Antarctica. Satellite measurements have indicated that the zone from 65 North to 65 South
latitude has had a 3% decrease in stratospheric ozone since 1978.
Ozone is also highly concentrated at the Earth's surface in and around cities. Most of this ozone is
created as a by product of human created photochemical smog . This buildup of ozone is toxic
to organisms living at the Earth's surface.
Structure of the atmosphere
The atmosphere has covered the earth from four sides with various layers of air. The layers are
different from one an other in regards of thickness, temperature and other properties. Most of the
layers near the surface of the earth thick and heavy. They become light with hight. Atmospheric
gases become thinner, the higher up you go. The variations in temperature are due to changes in
the chemical and physical characteristics of the atmosphere with altitude. Temperature changes
with hight. The layers of atmosphere are the troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, and
thermosphere.
The atmosphere is divided broadly into three kind of layers based on chemical composition,
electrical properties, and thermal conditions.
Chemical Division
1. The atmosphere layers on the basis of chemical composition may be divided into two
Homogeneous and Heterogeneous.
1) Homogeneous: These layers extends from an average altitude of 80 to 100 kilometers above
the Earth's surface. The physical and chemical properties of elements of air of this region remain
same with a little difference.
2) Heterogeneous: These layers start above the homogenous layers after the altitude of 80 to
100 and are extended till the end of atmosphere. Most of the gases of this area of atmosphere are
light and their physical and chemical composition are also different from each other.
Electrical Division
The atmosphere layers on the basis of electrical properties may be divided into two Non
Ionosphere and Ionosphere
3) Non Ionosphere: about 60 KM of the atmosphere is in Neutral state. This layer or region is
called Non Ionosphere
4) Ionosphere: the atmosphere from 60 km to 2000 km, tis called Ionosphere. This region
consists of ultra violet rays and X rays. Due to these reasons, there occurs ionization on large
scale. Electrons of various gases are released which reflect radio waves. This is why this part of
atmosphere is called ionosphere . Ionosphere reflects the powerful radio waves coming from the
earth again to earth. This helps to set up communication links on earth. This layer is very useful
for radio engineers.
Thermal Division
The atmosphere layers on the basis of temperature may be divided into two Troposphere,
Stratosphere, Mesosphere and termosphere
1) Troposphere:
The first layer is called the troposphere. The depth of this layer varies from about 8 to 16
kilometers. This is the layer where live. About 80% of the total mass of the atmosphere is
contained in troposphere. It is also the layer where the majority of our weather occurs . Maximum
air temperature also occurs near the Earth's surface in this layer. With increasing height, air
temperature drops uniformly with altitude at a rate of approximately 6.5 Celsius per 1000
meters. This phenomenon is commonly called the Environmental Lapse Rate. At an average
temperature of -56.5 Celsius, the top of the troposphere is reached. At the upper edge of the
troposphere is a narrow transition zone known as the tropopause.
stratosphere
Above the tropopause is the stratosphere. This layer extends from an average altitude of 11 to 50
kilometers above the Earth's surface. This stratosphere contains about 19.9% of the total mass
found in the atmosphere. Very little weather occurs in the stratosphere. Occasionally, the top
portions of thunderstorms breach this layer. In the first 9 kilometers of the stratosphere,
temperature remains constant with height. The air is clean and there is very little moist in it. It
does not have clouds so mostly aeroplanes travel through this layer.
isothermal
A zone with constant temperature in the atmosphere is called an isothermal layer. From an
altitude of 20 to 50 kilometers, temperature increases with an increase in altitude. The higher
temperatures found in this region of the stratosphere occurs because of a localized
concentration of ozone gas molecules. These molecules absorb ultraviolet sunlight creating
heat energy that warms the stratosphere.
Ozone is primarily found in the atmosphere at varying concentrations between the altitudes
of 10 to 50 kilometers. This layer of ozone is also called the ozone layer . The ozone layer is
important to organisms at the Earth's surface as it protects them from the harmful effects of
the Sun's ultraviolet radiation. Without the ozone layer life could not exist on the Earth's
surface.
Separating the mesosphere from the stratosphere is transition zone called the stratopause.
mesosphere
This layer is found above the Stratosphere. In the mesosphere, the atmosphere reaches its coldest
temperatures (about -90 Celsius) at a height of approximately 80 kilometers. At the top of the
mesosphere is another transition zone known as the mesopause.
thermosphere
The last atmospheric layer has an altitude greater than 80 kilometers and is called the
thermosphere. Temperatures in this layer can be greater than 1200 C. These high temperatures
are generated from the absorption of intense solar radiation by oxygen molecules (O2). While
these temperatures seem extreme, the amount of heat energy involved is very small. The amount
of heat stored in a substance is controlled in part by its mass. The air in the thermosphere is
extremely thin with individual gas molecules being separated from each other by large distances.
Consequently, measuring the temperature of thermosphere with a thermometer is a very difficult
process. Thermometers measure the temperature of bodies via the movement of heat energy.
Normally, this process takes a few minutes for the conductive transfer of kinetic energy from
countless molecules in the body of a substance to the expanding liquid inside the thermometer. In
the thermosphere, our thermometer would lose more heat energy from radiative emission then
what it would gain from making occasional contact with extremely hot gas molecules
Figure 7b-1: Vertical change in average global atmospheric temperature.
Variations in the way temperature changes with height indicates the
atmosphere is composed of a number of different layers (labeled above).
These variations are due to changes in the chemical and physical
characteristics of the atmosphere with altitude.

Composition of Atmosphere

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Composition of Atmosphere

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Atmosphere is a gift of Allah. It has much importance for us.

It has covered the earth from four

Structure of the atmosphere

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