What is Atmosphere

The origin of the word comes from the modern Latin “atmo” meaning “vapor” or “mist”, and “ sphera” , from “sphere”, “globe”.

The gases that make up the Earth ‘s atmosphere are attracted by the force of gravity, so they regulate the temperature of the planet and accompany it in all its movements. In addition, the atmosphere is also responsible for keeping life possible on the planet, as it protects the surface against the most harmful solar rays, forming a barrier against them.

The atmosphere is mainly made up of argon, helium, carbon dioxide, ozone, water vapor, nitrogen and oxygen .

The subject is addressed mainly by professionals in the area of ​​Geography and also by environmentalists and professionals in the human and biological areas.

Atmosphere layers
As a set of gases , the atmosphere has different layers, according to its proximity or distance from the Earth’s surface.

Its composition is basically: troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, ionosphere and exosphere.

The troposphere is the lowest layer of the Earth’s atmosphere, closest to the surface. It contains practically the entire concentration of water and vapors, in addition to ¾ of the atmospheric gases. That is why it is in this layer that climatic phenomena such as rain, wind and snow occur.
Its thickness varies according to the region, being denser in some places, varying between 16 and 20 km.

The stratosphere reaches up to 50 km above sea level. In this layer is the ozone layer, responsible for protecting the earth’s surface from the harmful rays of the sun, extremely harmful to life. There are, however, flaws. The “hole in the ozone layer” is one of the main concerns of the world’s population, as it allows ever closer contact of ultraviolet rays with the Earth.
The mesosphere extends from the bottom of the stratosphere to 80 km above sea level. Considered the coldest layer of the atmosphere, its temperature can reach -95ºC.
The penultimate layer of the atmosphere is known as the mesosphere , and it reaches about 500 kilometers above sea level. It can reach a temperature of up to 1000ºC and it is there that large amounts of atomic oxygen are concentrated, responsible for the absorption of energy from the Sun.
Finally, there is the exosphere , known as the transition zone between Earth and outer space. It starts from the end of the mesosphere and extends through space for tens of thousands of kilometers. Its temperature is high and its density is low, so the molecules and atoms that compose it form a kind of plasma. It is in the exosphere that the “Van Allen Radiation Belts” are found.
Outside the scientific context, it is also customary to say that the atmosphere is “light” or “heavy” according to the situation of an environment, if the moods of the people present are high or if there has been some event that has shaken the place in a certain way.

Acid rain
“Acid rain” is the name given to the atmospheric phenomenon whose acidity is greater than that resulting from carbon dioxide. Naturally, the rain already has some acidity, however, when it is high, it can cause harmful effects.

Although there is not much concrete data, it is estimated that the phenomenon of acid rain began with the Industrial Revolution. Since then, the greater the amount of toxic gases that reach the atmosphere, produced mainly by the burning of oil, the greater the incidence of acid rain.

Among the main effects are the decrease in the pH of rivers and lakes and the sterilization of the soil, which is unproductive for planting.

Greenhouse effect
Another observed phenomenon that is directly linked to the Earth’s atmosphere is the Greenhouse Effect , which occurs when a good part of the infrared radiation (heat) emitted by the Earth is absorbed by certain atmospheric gases.

Consequently, some of the heat is radiated back to the planet’s surface, rather than being released into space. In normal measures, it is acceptable and useful to the life of species on the planet. However, the exacerbated effect can generate environmental imbalance.

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