1) The Atmosphere is Mostly Nitrogen
Wait, what? Nitrogen?
Yes. Nitrogen. N2 to be exact. Remember diatomic elements from chemistry class?
Wait, what? Nitrogen?
Yes. Nitrogen. N2 to be exact. Remember diatomic elements from chemistry class?
Okay, take a deep breath. Guess what. You just breathed in about 78% N2. You also breathed in about 21% O2 (phew!) and 1% of other trace gases.
The atmosphere used to be ALL Nitrogen and NO Oxygen a few billion years ago. Then blue-green algae and other photosynthetic organisms came along and started pumping oxygen into the air.
The atmosphere used to be ALL Nitrogen and NO Oxygen a few billion years ago. Then blue-green algae and other photosynthetic organisms came along and started pumping oxygen into the air.
2) Carbon Dioxide Makes Up a Tiny Portion of the Atmosphere
Part of that 1% of trace gases is CO2, which has a current concentration in the atmosphere of about 400 parts per million (PPM) - or 0.04%. That's pretty small.
But it’s causing global warming and climate change, right?
Yes, it is. Something to think about...
Yes, it is. Something to think about...
3) The Troposphere is Very Unstable
The troposphere is where we live. It's the layer of the atmosphere closest to Earth. Here, air temperature decreases as altitude increases. This means colder air sits on top of warmer air. Colder air likes to go down. Warmer air likes to go up. So there is a lot of vertical mixing of air in this part of the atmosphere, and is therefore relatively rough.
This is where weather takes place and where nearly all of the water in the atmosphere is located.
4) The Stratosphere is Very Stable
The stratosphere is the next layer up. Due to the higher concentrations of ozone (O3), the temperature in the stratosphere increases as altitude increases (opposite of the troposphere). This means that warmer air sits on top of colder air. Warm air likes to be on top. Cold air likes to be on the bottom. So there is not much vertical mixing of air and it is less turbulent than the troposphere.
That is why airplanes typically fly in the lower stratosphere – above the clouds, above the weather, and above the turbulent troposphere.
5) The Ozone Layer is Located in the Stratosphere
You've probably heard of the ozone layer. And you've probably heard of the ozone hole. But do you know where they are?
Well, the ozone layer is located in the stratosphere, and it is the portion of the atmosphere where ozone (O3) concentrations are the highest. This ozone is good because it protects us from the harmful effects of UV rays, among other things.
The ozone "hole" is a thinning of this ozone layer, so it's not actually a hole. And it's not just one "hole", there are "holes" above the north and south poles and other areas on Earth.
The "hole" above Antarctica is the one we usually hear about, and is the worst from September to November (at one point it reached the southern tip of South America). The Arctic hole is at its worst from January to March.
Cool, right?
You've probably heard of the ozone layer. And you've probably heard of the ozone hole. But do you know where they are?
Well, the ozone layer is located in the stratosphere, and it is the portion of the atmosphere where ozone (O3) concentrations are the highest. This ozone is good because it protects us from the harmful effects of UV rays, among other things.
The ozone "hole" is a thinning of this ozone layer, so it's not actually a hole. And it's not just one "hole", there are "holes" above the north and south poles and other areas on Earth.
The "hole" above Antarctica is the one we usually hear about, and is the worst from September to November (at one point it reached the southern tip of South America). The Arctic hole is at its worst from January to March.
Cool, right?