Atmosphere
Atmosphere
Atmosphere (/ætˈmɒsfɪər/; from Ancient Greek ἀτμός, meaning 'vapour', and σφαῖρα, meaning 'sphere') is a layer of gases surrounding a planet or other material body of sufficient mass that is held in place by the gravity of the body. An atmosphere is more likely to be retained if the gravity is high and the atmosphere's temperature is low.
The atmosphere of Earth is composed of nitrogen (about 78%), oxygen (about 21%), argon (about 0.9%) with carbon dioxide and other gases making up the remaining 0.1%. The atmosphere protects life on Earth by absorbing ultraviolet solar radiation, warming the surface through heat retention (greenhouse effect), and reducing temperature extremes between day and night.
Etymology
The word 'atmosphere' is derived from the Ancient Greek words ἀτμός (atmos), meaning 'vapour', and σφαῖρα (sphaira), meaning 'sphere'. This term was first used scientifically in the 17th century when early scientists began studying the properties of air and the various layers of the Earth's atmosphere.
Related Terms
- Troposphere: The lowest layer of Earth's atmosphere. It extends from Earth's surface to an average height of about 12 km.
- Stratosphere: The second major layer of Earth's atmosphere, just above the troposphere, and below the mesosphere.
- Ozone Layer: A region of Earth's stratosphere that absorbs most of the Sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
- Greenhouse Effect: The process by which radiation from a planet's atmosphere warms the planet's surface to a temperature above what it would be without this atmosphere.
- Climate Change: A long-term change in the average weather patterns that have come to define Earth's local, regional and global climates.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Atmosphere
- Wikipedia's article - Atmosphere
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