15.

Earth’s atmosphere
I.Atmospherea blanket of air, which surrounds the Earth
 is reaches over 560 km from the Earth’s surface
 it is a mixture of different gases
-constant gases: N2 (78%), O2 (21%), Ar(1%)
-variable gases: CO2, H2, ozone, methane
-strongly variable gases: water vapour, CO
Layers of the atmosphere:
Lower atmosphere (99% of the air):
1.Troposphere
 ¾ of the total mass and total water mass
 meteorological phenomena take place here
 most dense part of the atmosphere
+ Tropopause: separates the troposphere from the next layer
2.Stratosphere
 at a high of 11-50 km
 ozone layer can be found hereis absorbs the ultraviolet radiation
+ Stratopause : separates the stratosphere from the next layer
Middle atmosphere
3. Mesosphere
 extends to 85 km high
+ Mesopause
Upper atmosphere
4. Thermosphere
 extends to 600 km high
5.Exosphere
 continues until it merges with interplanetary
 low density
Atmosphere is essential for life:
 acts as a giant filter, which keeps out the harmful ultraviolet radiation
 lets the Sun’s warming rays through to heat the Earth
II.The greenhouse effect:
 Earth is covered by a blanket of gases (atmosphere) which allows light
energy from the Sun to the Earth
-the energy is converted to heat
 most of the heat is re-radiated to the space
-some are trapped by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere
 natural effectkeeps the Earth’s temperature at a level necessary to
support life
 Greenhouse gases: water vapour, CO2, methane
Problem of global warming:
 human activities(burning fossil fuels ,land clearing) are generating more
greenhouse gases
 more heat will be trappedthe temperature will raise