The value of the atmosphere. What is atmosphere? Earth's atmosphere: structure, meaning Message about the role of the atmosphere in the life of the earth

The end of the term is always a busy time for caring parents. :) Since I think it's a shame to have a 4 in geography, I decided to pull up my son in this subject and give a short lesson explaining to him what is called the atmosphere and what its role is. By the way, the efforts were not in vain, and my son "shines" five!

What is atmosphere

First you need to figure out what it is. So, this is the lightest shell of all, however, its role in all the processes of our planet is very significant. She is heterogeneous- the higher from the surface of the planet, the more it is discharged, as a result of which its composition is also changing.. Science considers this shell in the form of several layers:

troposphere- here the maximum density is observed, and here all atmospheric phenomena occur;
stratosphere- characterized by a lower density, and the only phenomenon observed here are noctilucent clouds;
mesosphere- there is a significant decrease in temperature;
thermosphere- here the air density is several hundred thousand times less;
exosphere- represented by ionized gases - plasma.

What is the meaning of the atmosphere

First, it made it possible emergence of life. Animals cannot survive without oxygen, and plants cannot survive without another gas, carbon dioxide. It is essential for plants the main component of the photosynthesis process, as a result of which the oxygen necessary for animals is produced. It should be noted the special importance of this shell as a shield, which counteracts solar radiation and meteors - they simply burn in its thickness. It acts as a heat regulator, leveling temperature fluctuations: excessive overheating during the day, and hypothermia at night. She wraps our planet like a blanket, delaying back heat radiation.

Due to the fact that the planet warms up unevenly, pressure drops occur, which cause winds and weather changes. Winds are involved in processes called "weathering", forming various relief zones. In addition, without it, another paramount process would be impossible - the water cycle, thanks to which clouds form and precipitation falls.

Results

Thus, the meaning of the atmosphere is as follows:

protection- from radiation and asteroids;
climate- maintains relative temperature stability;
source of oxygen- the most important condition of life;
transportation- is a medium in which air masses and moisture move;
habitatI- for insects, birds, bacteria.

In the existence of the Earth, the importance of the atmosphere is enormous. If we deprive our planet of the atmosphere, all living organisms will die. Its impact can be compared to the role of glass in a greenhouse, which transmits light rays and does not release heat back. Thus, the atmosphere protects the Earth's surface from excessive heating and cooling.

The value of the atmosphere for humans

The air shell of the globe is a protective layer that saves all life from corpuscular and short-wave solar radiation. In the atmospheric environment, all weather conditions arise in which a person lives and works. Meteorological stations are being set up to study this earthly shell. Around the clock, in any weather, meteorologists monitor the state of the lower atmospheric layer and record their observations. Several times a day (in some regions every hour), the stations measure temperature, air humidity, pressure, detect the presence of clouds, wind direction, any sound and electrical phenomena, measure wind speed and precipitation. Meteorological stations are scattered all over our planet: in the polar regions, in the tropics, in the highlands, in the tundra. Observations are also made on the seas and oceans from stations located on specially constructed devices on special-purpose ships.

Measurements of parameters of the state of the environment

From the beginning of the 20th century, measurements of the parameters of the state of the medium in the free atmosphere began to be carried out. For this purpose, radiosondes are launched. They are able to rise to a height of 25-35 km and, using radio equipment, send data on pressure, temperature, wind speed and air humidity to the Earth's surface. In the modern world, they often resort to the use of meteorological satellites and rockets. They are equipped with television sets that accurately reproduce images of the planet's surface and clouds.

Related content:

The atmosphere saves all life on Earth, both from "star fragments" and from destructive ultraviolet, x-ray, cosmic rays.

The presence of an air shell gives our sky a blue color, because. molecules of the main elements of air and various impurities mainly scatter rays with a short wavelength, i.e. purple, blue and blue. As you move away from the Earth's surface and the density of the atmosphere decreases, the color of the sky darkens, at first it becomes deep blue, and in the stratosphere it acquires a dark blue color.

One of the features of the atmosphere is its ability to self-purify. This process occurs as a result of dry and wet precipitation of impurities, their absorption by the earth's surface by plants, processing by bacteria, microorganisms, and other ways. Green spaces help clean the air from dust, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, etc. One adult linden tree can accumulate tens of kilograms of sulfur dioxide during the day, turning it into a safe substance. However, the possibilities of nature are limited.

Campaigns are taking place around the world to convince governments to cut down on deforestation. Destruction million sq. km of forest means a decrease in the supply of oxygen to the atmosphere and the accumulation of a large amount of carbon dioxide, creating the effect of a heat trap.

The atmosphere is able to provide a balance between the production of oxygen, the consumption of carbon dioxide by green plants. This allows you to maintain a closed cycle, on which the vital activity of all animals and plants of the planet depends for hundreds of thousands of years.

However, this balance is now threatened by the consequences of human production activities.

As a result of global industrialization over the past 200 years, the proportions in the gas composition of the atmosphere began to be violated. This directly threatens the balance of processes occurring in the biosphere.

4. Atmospheric pollution

An increase in the concentration of individual components in the atmosphere leads to its pollution.

Change in gas composition

Pollution

Increase in aerosol content

4.1 Change in gas composition

Currently, there is an increase in the concentration of such components of atmospheric air, which can have a particularly negative impact on living organisms.

SO 2 – carbon dioxide, non-toxic. Over the past 100 years, the content of CO 2 in the atmosphere has increased from 0.027% to 0.03%. The annual growth is 0.0004% per year. An increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide is associated with global climate change on Earth.

Carbon dioxide belongs to the group of greenhouse gases (this also includes methane (CH 4), nitrogen oxides) . These gases are formed during the combustion of various fossil fuels, during agrotechnical activities (for example, when applying nitrogen fertilizers).

Greenhouse effect . Greenhouse gases, always present in the atmosphere, trap the heat of the sun's rays reflected from the Earth's surface. If this process stopped, all the waters of the planet would turn into a state of ice, which would lead to the death of all living organisms. However, when the amount of "greenhouse gases" increases due to anthropogenic interference, too much heat is retained in the atmosphere. This leads to global warming. Over the past century, the average temperature on the planet has increased by half a degree Celsius. Further warming is predicted by the middle of this century by 1 - 4.5 degrees.

Now the proportion of impurities in the atmosphere is increasing, which have various toxic effects on humans.

SO – carbon monoxide, toxic. Colorless and odorless. It is formed during the operation of power plants, is contained in emissions from internal combustion engines. In contact with the human body, it combines with hemoglobin in the blood. Hemoglobin becomes unable to carry oxygen to the tissues, i.e. affects the nervous cardiovascular system - causes suffocation. (For example, when exposed to a concentration of 200-220 mg / m 3 for 2-3 hours, CO poisoning occurs). Annual emissions into the atmosphere are at least 1250 million tons.

S ABOUT 2 - sulfur dioxide, toxic. A colorless gas with a pungent odor. It is formed as a result of the combustion of sulfur-containing fuel or as a result of the processing of sulfurous ores. Irritates mucous membranes of the eyes and respiratory tract. At a concentration of about 50 mg/m 3 it forms successively H 2 SO 3 and H 2 SO 4 . When the content of SO 2 in the air is from 0.23 mg / m 3, coniferous trees dry out, and at a concentration of 0.5 mg / m 3 - deciduous. Annual emissions into the atmosphere are about 170 million tons per year.

NO X (NO, N 2 O 5 , NO 2 , N 2 O 3 ) - nitrogen oxides. Colorless and odorless. Very poisonous. In the presence of nitrogen oxides in the air, the toxicity of CO increases. Sources - enterprises producing nitric acid, nitrogen fertilizers, celluloid. Up to 20 million tons of nitrogen oxides enter the atmosphere annually.

hydrocarbons – gasoline vapours, pentane, hexane, etc. They have a narcotic effect. Carcinogenic substances include benzo (a) pyrene C 20 H 12, which is formed in the processes of coal pyrolysis of hydrocarbon fuels (at a temperature of more than 600 degrees Celsius)

It should be noted the increased content of the following impurities, which are of anthropogenic origin: hydrogen sulfide and carbon disulfide, fluorine compounds, chlorine compounds, etc.

Acidic rains . Contain solutions of sulfuric and nitric acids. Formed as a result of the reaction of sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides with atmospheric water vapor. This turns the rainfall into weak acid solutions.

Acid rain is killing monuments. Hard marble (CaO and CO 2) reacts with a solution of sulfuric acid and turns into gypsum (CaSO 4). The historical monuments of Greece and Rome, having stood for millennia, are being destroyed before our eyes.

Plants and animals die in places where acid rain falls. There are cases when acid rain destroyed entire forests. Acid rain pours into reservoirs, rivers, killing even the smallest forms of life.

4.2 Increasing aerosol density

Aerosols - suspended particles present in the atmosphere. An increase in aerosol concentration may be natural. Natural air pollution occurs during volcanic eruptions, forest and peat fires, and rock weathering. There is a fallout of cosmic dust - about 5 million tons per year.

Industrial processes that cause anthropogenic dusting of the atmosphere have a great impact on the Earth's climate.

Suspended substances of soot, smoke, intensively absorb sunlight, increase the number of condensation nuclei and thus the cloudiness of the atmosphere. The number of sunny days is reduced to 25 - 50%. The size of aerosols ranges from 11 to 51 microns, the period of stay in suspension of the smallest aerosols ranges from several days to several years. Example: The source of atmospheric aerosol is soot, ash, which is formed during the incomplete combustion of fuel. Soot is a highly dispersed non-toxic powder, consisting of 95% carbon. It has a high absorption capacity for heavy hydrocarbons. This makes soot very dangerous to humans.

5. Earth's ozone shield

The ozone shield located in the stratosphere protects us by absorbing most (2/3) of the sun's ultraviolet rays.

Inside the ozone layer there is a continuous transition from one form of oxygen to another. O 2 molecules are split into individual oxygen atoms (O). These atoms combine with oxygen molecules to form ozone O 3 . Ozone again breaks down into oxygen and O 2 and individual atoms. The necessary energy is provided by solar radiation. By absorbing this energy mainly in the ultraviolet part of the spectrum, the ozone layer prevents ultraviolet radiation from reaching the Earth.

Destruction of the ozone layer

For the first time in 1985, Antarctic researchers discovered an ozone hole over part of the southern hemisphere. Now ozone holes have been discovered over the northern hemisphere.

It turned out that the destruction of ozone is mainly caused by the presence of chemical compounds - artificially synthesized chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). which have become widespread relatively recently. They have found application in household chemicals, used in refrigeration units in the production of foam, etc.

For humans, these compounds are not dangerous. However, it is assumed that as they rise up in the atmosphere, these gases reach the ozone layer and destroy it. CFCs enter the upper atmosphere as impurities. Under the action of sunlight, their molecules break down with the release of chlorine atoms. Chlorine “takes away” one oxygen atom from ozone, turning it into ordinary oxygen. One chlorine atom can do this with many (up to 100,000) ozone molecules.

The international community is taking some action to protect the ozone layer.

1987 – Governments of 56 countries have pledged to reduce CFC production.

1996 - industrialized countries have completely stopped the production of freon, gallons and carbon tetrachloride.

2010 - By this time, the production of CFCs must be stopped by developing countries.

The International Environmental Fund provided Moscow, Kyiv with free assistance for the phased reduction of ODS consumption. The money was directed to enterprises producing aerosols, refrigeration equipment for the transition to the use of carbon aerosol propellant (CAP).

Interdepartmental commissions for the protection of the ozone layer have been set up at the government level.

Determination of the degree of atmospheric pollution

In most countries, the air quality criterion is maximum allowable concentration (MAC) pollutant for atmospheric air, determined by the amount of a substance in 1 m 3 of air, which does not have a harmful effect on the health of people who constantly inhale it.

The hazard of air pollution is determined as follows:

j = c i / MPC i ,

where c i is the physical concentration of a pollutant in the surface layer of the atmosphere (a space up to 2 m above the earth's surface), measured or calculated in mg/m, MPC is the maximum one-time maximum allowable concentration of a pollutant in mg/m.

If the value of j is 1, then there is no danger of pollution, but if j is greater than 1, then there is a danger of pollution.

For example, for sulfur dioxide (SO 2) MPC in the atmosphere of settlements is 0.5 mg / m 3; nitrogen dioxide (NO 2) - 0.085 mg / m 3

With the joint presence in the atmosphere of several substances that have a summation effect (i.e. mutually reinforcing effect on the human body), the pollution hazard is determined from the expression:

j = c 1 / MPC 1 + c 2 / MPC 2 … +… c i / MPC i ,

where с 1 ,с 2 ,…, с 3 – actual concentrations of substances, in mg/m; MPC 1, MPC 2, ...., MPC 3 - maximum one-time maximum allowable concentrations for these substances in mg / m 3

This expression is used when establishing the quality of air, if it simultaneously contains substances such as, for example, phenol and acetone, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide, ethylene, propylene, butylene.

The MPC must not be exceeded by limiting the intensity of pollutant emissions. An important factor affecting the concentration of pollutants in the atmosphere is its ability to disperse and self-purify. This process occurs as a result of dry and wet precipitation of impurities, their absorption by the earth's surface, processing by bacteria, microorganisms and other ways.

Ways and methods of cleaning emissions into the atmosphere from harmful substances

The construction of treatment facilities is an important measure to prevent air pollution.

Methods for cleaning emissions into the atmosphere can be grouped into the following groups:

Cleaning of dust emissions and aerosols of harmful substances;

Purification of emissions from harmful gaseous substances;

Reducing air pollution with exhaust gases from internal combustion engines of vehicles and stationary installations;

To clean emissions from harmful substances, mechanical, physical, chemical and combined methods are used.

Mechanical methods are based on the use of gravitational forces, inertia, centrifugal forces, etc.

Physical methods are based on the use of electric and electrostatic fields, cooling, condensation, etc.

Chemical methods use oxidation, neutralization, etc. reactions.

Physicochemical methods use the principles of sorption (absorption, chemisorption, adsorption), coagulation and flotation.

Consider some of the physico-chemical methods:

absorption method:

This method consists in separating a gas-air mixture into its constituent parts by absorbing one or more components of this mixture with an absorbent (absorbent) to form a solution. As an absorbent, a liquid capable of absorbing harmful impurities is used. When liquid and gaseous substances come into contact, liquid and gas films are formed on the surface of both phases.

The liquid-soluble component of the gas-air mixture penetrates by diffusion, first through the gas film, then through the liquid film, and enters the upper layers of the absorbent. For example, sulfuric acid is used to remove aromatic hydrocarbons and water vapor from emissions.

Chemisorption method:

It is based on the absorption of gases and vapors by solid or liquid absorbers with the formation of chemical compounds.

Adsorption method:

It is based on the properties of some solids with an ultramicroscopic structure to selectively (selectively) extract and concentrate individual components from a gas mixture on their surface. The most commonly used adsorbents are activated carbon, activated alumina, activated AL oxide, and other complex oxides.

catalytic method:

This method converts toxic components of industrial emissions into substances that are harmless or less harmful to the environment by introducing additional substances called catalysts into the system. Catalytic methods are based on the interaction of the removed substances with a substance specially added to the mixture on solid catalysts.

The world around us is formed from three very different parts: earth, water and air. Each of them is unique and interesting in its own way. Now we will talk only about the last of them. What is atmosphere? How did it come about? What is it made of and what parts is it divided into? All these questions are extremely interesting.

The very name "atmosphere" is formed from two words of Greek origin, translated into Russian they mean "steam" and "ball". And if you look at the exact definition, you can read the following: "The atmosphere is the air shell of the planet Earth, which rushes along with it in outer space." It developed in parallel with the geological and geochemical processes that took place on the planet. And today all the processes occurring in living organisms depend on it. Without an atmosphere, the planet would become a lifeless desert like the moon.

What does it consist of?

The question of what is the atmosphere and what elements are included in it has interested people for a long time. The main components of this shell were already known in 1774. They were installed by Antoine Lavoisier. He found that the composition of the atmosphere is mostly formed from nitrogen and oxygen. Over time, its components have been refined. And now we know that it contains many more gases, as well as water and dust.

Let us consider in more detail what the Earth's atmosphere near its surface consists of. The most common gas is nitrogen. It contains a little more than 78 percent. But, despite such a large amount, nitrogen in the air is practically not active.

The next largest and most important element is oxygen. This gas contains almost 21%, and it just shows very high activity. Its specific function is to oxidize dead organic matter, which decomposes as a result of this reaction.

Low but important gases

The third gas that is part of the atmosphere is argon. Its slightly less than one percent. It is followed by carbon dioxide with neon, helium with methane, krypton with hydrogen, xenon, ozone and even ammonia. But they are contained so little that the percentage of such components is equal to hundredths, thousandths and millionths. Of these, only carbon dioxide plays a significant role, since it is the building material that plants need for photosynthesis. Its other important function is to keep out radiation and absorb part of the sun's heat.

Another rare but important gas, ozone, exists to trap ultraviolet radiation coming from the sun. Thanks to this property, all life on the planet is reliably protected. On the other hand, ozone affects the temperature of the stratosphere. Due to the fact that it absorbs this radiation, the air is heated.

The constancy of the quantitative composition of the atmosphere is maintained by non-stop mixing. Its layers move both horizontally and vertically. Therefore, anywhere in the world there is enough oxygen and there is no excess of carbon dioxide.

What else is in the air?

It should be noted that steam and dust can be detected in the airspace. The latter consists of pollen and soil particles, in the city they are joined by impurities of particulate emissions from exhaust gases.

But there is a lot of water in the atmosphere. Under certain conditions, it condenses, and clouds and fog appear. In fact, this is the same thing, only the first ones appear high above the surface of the Earth, and the last one spreads along it. Clouds take on a variety of shapes. This process depends on the height above the Earth.

If they formed 2 km above land, then they are called layered. It is from them that rain falls on the ground or snow falls. Cumulus clouds form above them up to a height of 8 km. They are always the most beautiful and picturesque. It is they who are examined and wondered what they look like. If such formations appear in the next 10 km, they will be very light and airy. Their name is cirrus.

What are the layers of the atmosphere?

Although they have very different temperatures from each other, it is very difficult to say at what particular height one layer begins and another ends. This division is very conditional and is approximate. However, the layers of the atmosphere still exist and perform their functions.

The lowest part of the air shell is called the troposphere. Its thickness increases when moving from the poles to the equator from 8 to 18 km. This is the warmest part of the atmosphere, since the air in it is heated from the earth's surface. Most of the water vapor is concentrated in the troposphere, so clouds form in it, precipitation falls, thunderstorms rumble and winds blow.

The next layer is about 40 km thick and is called the stratosphere. If the observer moves to this part of the air, he will find that the sky has become purple. This is due to the low density of the substance, which practically does not scatter the sun's rays. It is in this layer that jet planes fly. For them, all open spaces are open there, since there are practically no clouds. Inside the stratosphere there is a layer consisting of a large amount of ozone.

It is followed by the stratopause and the mesosphere. The latter has a thickness of about 30 km. It is characterized by a sharp decrease in air density and temperature. The sky appears black to the observer. Here you can even watch the stars during the day.

Layers with little to no air

The structure of the atmosphere continues with a layer called the thermosphere - the longest of all the others, its thickness reaches 400 km. This layer is characterized by a huge temperature, which can reach 1700 ° C.

The last two spheres are often combined into one and called it the ionosphere. This is due to the fact that reactions occur in them with the release of ions. It is these layers that allow you to observe such a natural phenomenon as the northern lights.

The next 50 km from the Earth are reserved for the exosphere. This is the outer shell of the atmosphere. In it, air particles are scattered into space. Weather satellites usually move in this layer.

The Earth's atmosphere ends with a magnetosphere. It was she who sheltered most of the artificial satellites of the planet.

After all that has been said, there should be no question about what the atmosphere is. If there are doubts about its necessity, then it is easy to dispel them.

The value of the atmosphere

The main function of the atmosphere is to protect the surface of the planet from overheating during the day and excessive cooling at night. The next importance of this shell, which no one will dispute, is to supply oxygen to all living beings. Without it, they would suffocate.

Most meteorites burn up in the upper layers, never reaching the Earth's surface. And people can admire the flying lights, mistaking them for shooting stars. Without an atmosphere, the entire Earth would be littered with craters. And about protection from solar radiation has already been mentioned above.

How does a person affect the atmosphere?

Very negative. This is due to the growing activity of people. The main share of all the negative aspects falls on industry and transport. By the way, it is cars that emit almost 60% of all pollutants that penetrate the atmosphere. The remaining forty are divided between energy and industry, as well as industries for the destruction of waste.

The list of harmful substances that replenish the composition of the air every day is very long. Because of the transport in the atmosphere are: nitrogen and sulfur, carbon, blue and soot, as well as a strong carcinogen that causes skin cancer - benzopyrene.

The industry accounts for the following chemical elements: sulfur dioxide, hydrocarbons and hydrogen sulfide, ammonia and phenol, chlorine and fluorine. If the process continues, then soon the answers to the questions: “What is the atmosphere? What does it consist of? will be completely different.

The role of the Earth's atmosphere

The atmosphere is the lightest geosphere of the Earth; nevertheless, its influence on many terrestrial processes is very great.

To begin with, it was thanks to the atmosphere that the origin and existence of life on our planet became possible. Modern animals cannot do without oxygen, and most plants, algae and cyanobacteria cannot live without carbon dioxide. Oxygen is used by animals for respiration, carbon dioxide is used by plants in the process of photosynthesis, due to which complex organic substances necessary for life, such as various carbon compounds, carbohydrates, amino acids, and fatty acids, are created.

Important for the normal life of organisms on Earth is the role of the atmosphere as a protector of our planet from ultraviolet and X-ray radiation from the Sun, cosmic rays, and meteors. The vast majority of the radiation is retained by the upper layers of the atmosphere - the stratosphere and mesosphere, as a result of which such amazing electrical phenomena as auroras appear. The rest, a smaller part of the radiation, is scattered. Here, in the upper layers of the atmosphere, meteors also burn out, which we can observe in the form of small "shooting stars".

Different parts of the Earth heat up unevenly. The low latitudes of our planet, i.e. areas with a subtropical and tropical climate receive much more heat from the sun than medium and high areas with a temperate and arctic (antarctic) climate type. Continents and oceans heat up differently. If the first ones heat up and cool down much faster, then the second ones absorb heat for a long time, but at the same time they also give it off for a long time. As you know, warm air is lighter than cold air, and therefore rises. Its place at the surface is occupied by cold, heavier air. This is how the wind is formed and the weather is formed. And the wind, in turn, leads to the processes of physical and chemical weathering, the latter of which form exogenous landforms.

As altitude increases, climatic differences between different regions of the globe begin to blur. And starting from a height of 100 km. Atmospheric air loses the ability to absorb, conduct and transfer thermal energy by convection. Thermal radiation becomes the only way to transfer heat, i.e. heating of air by cosmic and solar rays.

In addition, only in the presence of an atmosphere on the planet is the water cycle in nature possible, precipitation and the formation of clouds.

The water cycle is a process of cyclic movement of water within the earth's biosphere, consisting of the processes of evaporation, condensation and precipitation. There are 3 levels of the water cycle:

A small, or oceanic, cycle - water vapor formed above the surface of the ocean condenses and precipitates back into the ocean as precipitation.

Intracontinental circulation - water that has evaporated above the land surface again falls on land in the form of precipitation.

It is also worth noting that precipitation becomes possible only if there is a so-called. condensation nuclei - the smallest solid particles. If there were no such particles in the earth's atmosphere, then no precipitation would fall.

And the last thing I wanted to say about the role of the Earth's atmosphere is that only thanks to it on our planet is it possible for the propagation of sounds and the emergence of aerodynamic lift. On planets lacking or having a low-power atmosphere, dead silence reigns. A person on such celestial bodies is literally speechless. In the absence of an atmosphere, controlled aerodynamic flight becomes impossible, which is replaced by ballistic flight.

The role of the atmosphere in the life of the planet

Atmosphere

I want to smoke American cigarettes. .

The atmosphere is one of the necessary conditions for the emergence and existence of life on Earth.

Atmosphere:

participates in the formation of the climate on the planet;
regulates the thermal regime of the planet;
contributes to the redistribution of heat near the surface;
protects the Earth from sudden temperature fluctuations. In the absence of the atmosphere and water bodies, the temperature of the Earth's surface during the day would fluctuate in the range of 200 0С;
Due to the presence of oxygen, the atmosphere participates in the exchange and circulation of substances in the biosphere. In its current state, the atmosphere has existed for hundreds of millions of years, all living things are adapted to its strictly defined composition;
the gas envelope protects living organisms from harmful ultraviolet, x-ray and cosmic rays;
the atmosphere protects the Earth from falling meteorites;
the atmosphere distributes and scatters the sun's rays, which creates uniform illumination;
The atmosphere is the medium in which sound propagates.

Due to the action of gravitational forces, the atmosphere does not dissipate in world space, but surrounds the Earth, rotates with it.

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Question 135: Which layer of the atmosphere is most important for life on earth?

Answer: troposphere

Question 136: How long does it take for atmospheric moisture to change?

Answer: 10 days

Question 137: Human part….

Answer: biosphere

Question 138: Who first introduced the term "biosphere"?

Answer: Zyusom

Question 139: Which of the spheres was the last to appear in nature? L

Answer: biosphere

Question 140: Who first created the doctrine of the biosphere

Answer: Vernadsky

Question 141: Which shell consists of sedimentary and igneous rocks?

Answer: lithosphere

Question 142: What is the maximum distance between the Earth and the Sun?

Answer: 4 million km.

Question 143: Who was the first to speak from the sphericity of the Earth?

Answer: Aristotle, Pythagoras

Question 144: What part of the volume of the hydrosphere consists of fresh water?

Answer: 2,5%

Question 145: What is the name of the condensation of water vapor in the lower atmosphere?

Answer: weather

Question 146: The state of the troposphere at a given location at a given moment called.

Answer: weather

Question 147: Soil is

Answer: the top thin layer of the earth, which has fertility

Answer: Irtysh

Question 149: The part of the geographic envelope inhabited and modified by organisms is

Answer: biosphere

Question 150: The largest lake in the world 1 p

Answer: Caspian

Question 151: The earth's crust and the upper part of the mantle are called.

Answer: lithosphere

Question 152: The top fertile layer of the earth is

Answer: the soil

Question 153: Air shell of the Earth

Answer: atmosphere

Question 154: A device that measures atmospheric pressure

Answer: barometer

Question 155: The composition of the geographic envelope -

Answer: hydrosphere, biosphere, part of the atmosphere, part of the lithosphere

Question 156: The main force that forms the geographic shell T

Answer: solar radiation

Question 157: Climate change, ozone depletion is a problem

Answer: ecological

Question 158: The ecological direction in geography was opened

Answer: I.V. Mushketov

Question 159: The height of this layer in the atmosphere reaches 50-55 km.

Answer: stratosphere

Question 160: How many sources of air pollution are there

Answer: 3

Question 161: What is the most polluting air?

Answer: industrial production

Question 162: The resources of the river waters of the Republic are ...

Answer: 100.5 km

Question 163: How much volume of river water is formed per ter. Coffers

Answer: 56.5 km

Question 164: The third largest endorheic reservoir Kaz-na

Answer: R. Or

Question 165: How much per ter.

Kav-na diluted groundwater deposits

Answer: 700

Question 166: In what year was the Law on the Protection of Atmospheric Air adopted?

Answer: 2002

Question 167: What is released during the combustion of sulfur ores

Answer: sulfurous anhydride.

Question 168: How much sulfur dioxide is emitted per year

Answer: 170 million tons.

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The atmosphere is the lightest geosphere of the Earth; nevertheless, its influence on many terrestrial processes is very great.

As altitude increases, the partial pressure of oxygen begins to decrease. What does it mean? This means that there are fewer and fewer oxygen atoms in each unit of volume. At normal atmospheric pressure, the partial pressure of oxygen in the human lungs (the so-called alveolar air) is 110 mm. rt. Art., pressure of carbon dioxide - 40 mm Hg. Art., and water vapor - 47 mm Hg. Art.. When rising in height, the pressure of oxygen in the lungs begins to fall, while carbon dioxide and water remain at the same level.

Starting from a height of 3 kilometers above sea level, most people begin oxygen starvation or hypoxia. A person has shortness of breath, palpitations, dizziness, tinnitus, headache, nausea, muscle weakness, sweating, impaired visual acuity, drowsiness. The performance drops sharply. At altitudes above 9 kilometers, human breathing becomes impossible and therefore it is strictly forbidden to be without special breathing apparatus.

The atmosphere serves as a regulator of seasonal temperature fluctuations and smoothes the diurnal, preventing the Earth from excessive heating during the day and cooling at night. The atmosphere, due to the presence of water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane and ozone in its composition, easily passes the sun's rays that heat its lower layers and the underlying surface, but delays the return thermal radiation from the earth's surface in the form of long-wave radiation. This feature of the atmosphere is called the greenhouse effect. Without it, daily temperature fluctuations in the lower layers of the atmosphere would reach colossal values: up to 200 ° C and would naturally make life impossible in the form in which we know it.

Thermal radiation becomes the only way to transfer heat, i.e. heating of air by cosmic and solar rays.

In addition, only in the presence of an atmosphere on the planet is the water cycle in nature possible, precipitation and the formation of clouds.

A large, or world, cycle - water vapor formed above the surface of the oceans is carried by winds to the continents, falls there in the form of precipitation and returns to the ocean in the form of runoff. In this process, the quality of water changes: during evaporation, salty sea water turns into fresh water, and polluted water is purified.

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Atmosphere and its protective functions.

Terrestrial life is vulnerable to cosmic rays and needs constant and reliable protection from them. The air shell of the Earth, like any outer cover, also performs protective functions. Although, by our everyday standards, the atmosphere does not fit into the concept of a means of protection, it is the "weightless" air that is a reliable barrier to the destructive effects of space.

Only large meteorites with an initial mass of tens and hundreds of tons can penetrate this "armor" - an extraordinary phenomenon, as you know. Smaller meteorites are by no means uncommon. Every day, up to 200 meteorites pierce the sky over Moscow, for example, completely burning up in the atmosphere.
Energy comes from the Sun to the Earth, and consequently, the very possibility of life. But the atmosphere "measures" the vital dose of solar energy. Without it, during the day the Sun would heat the earth's surface to + 100 ° C, and at night to - 100 ° C its icy cosmos would chill; A 200-degree diurnal temperature difference far exceeds the survival of most living organisms.
When Alexei Leonov first went into outer space, his life and health were protected by the most durable spacesuit. And on Earth, we are reliably protected by an air blanket.
Every second, a powerful stream of solar and other cosmic radiations of a wide range of waves and energies falls on the upper boundary of the atmosphere: - gamma radiation, X-rays, ultraviolet rays, visible light, infrared radiation, etc. If all of them reached the earth's surface, then instantly deadly their energy would incinerate all life. This does not happen, and life exists on Earth thanks to the atmosphere.
For all the variety of radiation, the atmosphere leaves only two "windows of transparency", two narrow "slits" through which some radio waves penetrate, as well as light with a part of ultraviolet and infrared rays. The main role in this is played by the ionosphere and the ozone screen at an altitude of 20-55 km. Although ozone is extremely rarefied, it is here that most of the energy of ultraviolet rays is spent on the destruction of oxygen molecules. Strained through an ozone filter, they are still dangerous for some microorganisms, including pathogens, and are beneficial to humans.

Ultimately, the light and heat that bring life to the Earth are passed through the atmosphere; everything that sows death is held back by the atmosphere.
Climate and weather. The atmosphere regulates the most important climate parameters - humidity, temperature, pressure.
The accumulation of moisture droplets or ice crystals, i.e., the formation of clouds, is possible only if there are condensation nuclei in the air - solid particles with a diameter of hundredths of a micrometer, or, more simply, the finest dust. In an absolutely "sterile" atmosphere, rain is impossible.
Vertical and horizontal movements of warm and cold, dry and humid air masses, the local distribution of temperatures and precipitation, i.e., the formation of weather, is carried out due to differences in atmospheric pressure and the occurrence of winds.
The role of the atmosphere in the circulation of substances. Cycles of oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, water necessarily go through the atmospheric stage. The air pool acts as a giant reservoir where all these substances accumulate and, most importantly, are distributed around the globe. Thus, the regulation of the speed and intensity of the circulation of substances in nature is carried out.

The atmosphere is part of the living environment. For most land inhabitants, including humans, the physical properties of the atmosphere are important.
Atmospheric pressure at the surface of the Earth (about 9.8 104 Pa) is called normal. This is the norm for the existence of terrestrial organisms, which we, like any norm, do not notice, although 10-12 tons of air presses on a person. For us, only deviations from it are noticeable: when the pressure drops at an altitude of about 5 thousand meters, signs of “altitude sickness” appear (dizziness, nausea, weakness); when immersed in water to a depth of 10 m, the pressure has a noticeable effect on the human body (pain in the eardrums, shortness of breath, etc.). In absolute vacuum, death occurs instantly.
The transparency, i.e., the permeability of the atmosphere for solar radiation - visible, ultraviolet, infrared - is extremely important for living organisms. The quantity and quality of light determine the intensity of photosynthesis - the only natural process of fixing solar energy on Earth. An increase in the level of ultraviolet radiation can lead to burns and other painful phenomena, a decrease creates conditions for the mass reproduction of pathogens. A complex influence of transparency on the heat balance of the Earth has been established, which will be discussed in more detail below. Modern changes in the transparency of the atmosphere are largely determined by anthropogenic influences, which has already led to a number of serious problems.
The state of the gas balance is very important for the biosphere. Over 3/4 of the air is nitrogen, which Lavoisier called "lifeless". It is included in the fundamental principle of the carriers of life - proteins and nucleic acids. True, atmospheric nitrogen does not directly participate in their synthesis, but is a giant reservoir of primary "raw materials" both for the activity of nitrogen-fixing microorganisms and algae, and for the nitrogen fertilizer industry. The scale and especially the rate of growth of industrial nitrogen fixation are already making some adjustments to the idea that its reserves in the atmosphere are inexhaustible.
What has been said is even more applicable to oxygen, which makes up a fourth of all the atoms of living matter. Without oxygen, breathing and, consequently, the energy of multicellular animals is impossible. At the same time, oxygen is a waste product released by photosynthetic organisms. The accumulation of only 1% of oxygen during the mutual evolution of the atmosphere and the biosphere created conditions for the rapid development of modern life forms. At the same time, an ozone screen was formed - protection from high-energy cosmic rays. The reduction of oxygen in the atmosphere would entail a slowdown in life processes. The loss of oxygen would cause the inevitable replacement of aerobic life forms with anaerobic ones.
Carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere contains only 0.03%. But today it is the subject of great attention and considerable concern. With an increase in the proportion of carbon dioxide to only 0.1%, the animals experience difficulty in breathing, more than 4% of carbon dioxide in the air means an emergency. Even quite insignificant (by thousandths of a percent) changes in the carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere change its permeability for heat rays reflected from the earth's surface.
Life on Earth without an atmosphere is impossible. But it is impossible without water, and without nutrients, and without many other things. A person can live without food for weeks, without water - days, without air - minutes, without atmospheric protection - seconds.
Such striking differences are justified, in particular, by the different ability of the body to store certain substances. On average, a person consumes over 500 liters of oxygen per day, passing through the lungs over 10 thousand liters (about 12 kg) of air and 1.5-2 kg of water and food.
Another significant circumstance. In the course of evolution, animals have developed multi-stage and fairly reliable systems of protection against poisonous and other substances of natural origin that are unfavorable for the body (poor quality water and food, dust, smoke, etc.).

P.). Therefore, both animal and human organisms turned out to be completely defenseless against what is not in their natural habitat - against poisonous gases without color, smell and taste, which are many in man-made emissions: nitrogen oxide (II), lead in car exhaust, carbon monoxide (CO) and many other compounds. In these cases, our respiratory tract passes unhindered both the elixir of life and the deadly poison, having no means of distinguishing between them.