The Atmosphere
The atmosphere is a layer of gases around Earth that protects life, regulates temperature and supplies the air we breathe.
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The atmosphere is a layer of gases around Earth that protects life, regulates temperature and supplies the air we breathe.
- Nitrogen 78 percent and oxygen 21 percent
- Troposphere is where weather happens
- Ozone absorbs ultraviolet light
🧠 Quick quiz
Three questions. Score 2 or more to complete the topic.
What is The Atmosphere?
Within Earth & Environmental Science, which covers our planet, its resources and ecosystems, and how people can protect the environment, this topic explains The Atmosphere. Earth and environment topics show how the planet’s systems shape landscapes, climate and life, with models that make these processes visible.
Check that you can explain The Atmosphere in your own words and give one example from everyday life. If you can do that, you have understood the core idea.
Understanding The Atmosphere helps you explain the environment around you and weigh up how people can protect it.
The Atmosphere in detail
The atmosphere is the layer of gases held around Earth by gravity, made of about 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 0.9% argon and 0.04% carbon dioxide, with water vapour and traces of other gases. It protects life by absorbing harmful ultraviolet radiation, keeping the planet warm through the greenhouse effect and moderating temperature differences.
It has layers: the troposphere (where weather happens, up to about 12 km), the stratosphere (containing the ozone layer), the mesosphere (where meteors burn up) and the thermosphere (which contains the auroras and the ISS) before the exosphere. Air pressure and density fall with altitude. Human activity is changing its composition.
How the interactive helps you understand The Atmosphere
Watch the Earth model in the interactive. Use any sliders or buttons it offers to change the values and see how the Earth model responds.
Before you change anything, predict the result. Then change one value at a time and check whether your prediction was right. This is a quick way to build a correct mental model of The Atmosphere.
Real-life uses and examples
- Use a diagram of The Atmosphere to describe the steps of a process in order.
- Discuss how human activity changes The Atmosphere, using a named example.
- Explain how The Atmosphere affects the landscape or climate near you.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Describing a process without the timescale it works over.
- Presenting one cause as the only cause of an environmental change.
- Learning the definition without testing it. Use the quiz and the interactive to check that you can apply the idea.
Frequently asked questions about The Atmosphere
What is The Atmosphere?
The atmosphere is a layer of gases around Earth that protects life, regulates temperature and supplies the air we breathe.
What are the most important points about The Atmosphere?
The main points are: Nitrogen 78 percent and oxygen 21 percent; Troposphere is where weather happens; Ozone absorbs ultraviolet light.
Why is The Atmosphere useful?
Understanding The Atmosphere helps you explain the environment around you and weigh up how people can protect it.
How can I practise The Atmosphere?
Open the interactive at the top of this page and change the controls one at a time. Predict the result before each change, then take the three-question quiz. A score of two or more marks the topic as complete on this device.
Which topics are related to The Atmosphere?
Related topics in Earth & Environmental Science include Wind and Pressure Systems, Climate and Climate Zones, Causes of Global Warming.