ATMOSPHERE

What will you learn from this?
This lesson will tackle about the atmosphere, its structure and composition, the process of
greenhouse effect and how it ends up with global warming. This will also discuss the effects of climate
change globally.
Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
1. identify the layers of the atmosphere

2. discuss the process of greenhouse effect and global warming
3. analyze the effects of changing climate to biodiversity
Let’s Read.
One reason which makes Earth capable of

supporting life is its atmosphere. The atmosphere is a
blanket of gas that provides the air we breathe, the
wind and weather. It has no easily defined top. Our
atmosphere has evolved that there is both carbon
dioxide and oxygen held in balance by Figure 23. The Earth‘s atmosph
photosynthesis and respiration. This combination
supports life on Earth making it unique among the
planets in the solar system.
Layers of the Atmosphere
Figure 24. Layers of the

atmosphere
1. Troposphere. Extends 6 to 20 kilometers high, considered the densest among the other parts of
the atmosphere. Airplanes, hot air balloon, and all weather types, are
in this region.
2. Stratosphere. Extends up to 50 kilometers high, it is in high region
where we can find the ozone layer which absorbs and scatters the solar
ultraviolet radiation.
Figure 25. The stratosphere
3. Mesosphere. The coolest layer which extends 80 kilometers high, meteors usually burn up in this
region as they approach our planet.
Figure 26. Meteor entering mesosphere Figure 27. Aurora borealis (Northern
Lights)
4. Thermosphere. The hottest layer which extends up to 600 kilometers above the mesosphere,
aurora and satellites are located here.
5. Exosphere. This is the upper limit of the atmosphere, extends from the top of the thermosphere
up to 10,000 km.
The atmosphere is also a mixture of many different gases which makes a layer of air that protects
Earth from the harmful radiations of the sun. It plays a vital role for Earth having a relatively stable
temperature and makes such a favourable place to live in. But this stable temperature is rising every
passing year, oceans are getting warmer and significant shift in the climate is seen. Why is this
happening? What should we do to stop all of this?
THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT

Earth is constantly bombarded with enormous amount of radiations from the sun which we
receive in the form of light and heat energy, it first passes the Earth‘s atmosphere before reaching the
surface. The ozone layer which is present in
stratosphere, blocks some amount of harmful
ultraviolet rays from reaching the surface. Part
of it is absorbed by the earth and some are
reflected back into the space, but some gases in
the atmosphere traps the heat radiation which
leads to heating up the environment.
This exchange of incoming and

outgoing radiation that warms the earth is
referred as greenhouse effect, and the gases involved in this are called greenhouse gases which mainly
includes carbon dioxide, methane, water vapour, chlorofluorocarbons, etc.
Greenhouse effect is essential in order to keep our planet warm. In the absence of this effect, the
temperature of the Earth‘s surface would be negative. But too much of something is bad. Over the last
two centuries, human activities have changed the Earth‘s atmosphere. The amounts of greenhouse gases
have increased and are still increasing. This excessive greenhouse effect results in global warming.
GLOBAL WARMING
Global warming is an increase in the Earth‘s average temperature. The consequences of global
warming are enormous. Its effects are not limited to one country but it affects the entire planet knowing
that human-made carbon dioxide emissions have caused it. Global warming is being the cause of climate
change.
What can we do about this?
How can we contribute in reducing global

warming and its consequences?
CLIMATE CHANGE
Climate is the average conditions occur in a given
place over a period of years. It profoundly affects
organisms, animals and plants. Climate generally changes
slowly, over hundreds or thousands of years. Since our
planet experiences an average temperature when extra
solar radiation becomes trap in the atmosphere, this extra
energy begins to disrupt long established climate patterns
resulting in stronger winds, increased evaporation, and shifting of ocean currents. These abnormalities can
affect regional weather patterns in a variety of ways, and these effects are collectively known as climate
change.
Consequences of Climate Change
Climate change has consequences on oceans, weather, food sources and our health, and ice sheets
are melting. The extra water that was once held in glaciers cause sea levels to rise and spills out of the
ocean flooding coastal regions. Warmer temperatures also make weather more extreme, this means not
only more intense major storms, floods and heavy rains but also longer and more frequent droughts.
Figure 31. Heavy rain and high level of flood Figure 32. Melting habitat of polar bear
These changes in weather pose challenges. Growing crops becomes more difficult,
the areas where plants and animals can live shift and water supplies are diminished. In
addition to creating new agricultural challenges, climate change can directly affect people‘s
physical health. In urban areas, the warmer atmosphere creates an environment that traps and
increases the amount of smog. Exposure to higher level of smog can cause health problems
such as asthma, heart disease and lung cancer.
Figure 33. Extreme drought Figure 34. Smog in New Delhi, 2016
While the rapid rate of climate change is caused by humans, they are also the ones
who can combat it if we work to replace fossil fuels with renewable energy sources like solar
and wind which don‘t produce greenhouse gas emissions. We might still be able to prevent
some of the worst effects of climate change.

ATMOSPHERE

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What will you learn from this?

At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

1. identify the layers of the atmosphere

One reason which makes Earth capable of

Layers of the Atmosphere

Figure 24. Layers of the

THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT

This exchange of incoming and

What can we do about this?

How can we contribute in reducing global

Consequences of Climate Change

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