Gasses of Earth’s Atmosphere & Characteristics of Layers

Nitrogen

which makes up about 78% of it. But plants can't use nitrogen the way it is in the air. They need it to be changed into a different form first

Argon

It makes up about 0.93% of the air. Argon is special because it likes to stay on its own and doesn’t mix much with other gases, which is why we call it a "noble gas."

CO₂

which makes up about 0.04%, helps keep the Earth warm, but too much of it can cause problems like global warming. Plants help by taking in carbon dioxide when they make their food, which helps reduce the amount in the air

Oxygen

makes up about 21% of the air, Plants make oxygen when they do (photosynthesis), which is how they make their food. Humans and animals need oxygen to breathe and stay alive

Water vapor

make up anywhere from 0% to 4% of the air, It helps keep the Earth warm for a little while, but it's not as big of a problem as carbon dioxide (CO2). Water vapor moves in and out of the air really quickly

Characteristics of Layers

Exosphere

very top layer of the atmosphere. It's where the air starts to fade away and space begins

Thermosphere

layer of the atmosphere where it's really hot! It helps protect us by absorbing harmful rays from the sun, like X-rays and UV rays. In this layer, gas molecules can glow when they get hit by sunlight, which creates beautiful lights in the sky called the northern lights

Mesosphere

the middle layer of the atmosphere. It’s located about 60 to 80 kilometers above the Earth. In this layer, the air is even thinner, fewer air molecules

Stratosphere

the second layer of the atmosphere, and it sits about 16 to 60 kilometers above the Earth, air is thinner here because there's less pressure from the layers above it. There’s a lot of a gas called ozone (O3), which helps protect us by absorbing harmful rays from the sun that can cause problems, like making animals sick

Troposphere

the lowest layer of the atmosphere, and it goes from the ground up to about 16 kilometers high, weather happens, The air is thicker here because the weight of the layers above pushes down on it. Most of the gas in the atmosphere is found in this layer.

There is some ozone (03) in the troposphere, but it can be bad for people because it can make it hard to breathe and can hurt plants