Earth's Atmosphere
Introduced| English | Meaning |
|---|---|
| atmosphere/ˈætməsfɪə/ | The layers of gas around the Earth. |
| troposphere/ˈtrɒpəsfɪə/ | The lowest atmospheric layer, where weather happens and most air pollution collects. |
| stratosphere/ˈstrætəsfɪə/ | The atmospheric layer above the troposphere, containing most atmospheric ozone and generally becoming warmer with increasing height. |
| ozone layer/ˈəʊzəʊn ˈleɪə/ | The region of the stratosphere with relatively high ozone concentration that absorbs much of the Sun's harmful ultraviolet radiation. |
The blanket of air
- A thin layer of gases wraps the whole planet.
- It gives us air to breathe and shields us from the Sun's rays.
- It holds our weather and keeps the Earth warm.
- This life-supporting blanket is the atmosphere.
What the atmosphere is
- The atmosphere 大气层 is the layer of gases surrounding Earth.
- It is about 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen, plus small amounts of other gases.
- Held by gravity, it thins out with height into space.
- It is divided into layers with different properties.
Clean dry air is about 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and 1% other gases
Earth's atmosphere is…
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The atmosphere is the blanket of gases (mostly nitrogen and oxygen) around Earth.
The troposphere: our home layer
- The troposphere 对流层 is the lowest layer, where we live.
- All weather — clouds, rain, storms — happens here.
- The air we breathe and most of the atmosphere's mass are in this layer.
- It gets colder as you go higher within it.
Which layer holds our weather and the air we breathe?
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The troposphere is the lowest layer — where all weather happens and where we live.
The layer above the troposphere, which holds the protective ozone layer, is the ____.
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The stratosphere contains the ozone layer, which absorbs harmful ultraviolet rays.
The stratosphere and ozone
- Above the troposphere lies the stratosphere 平流层.
- It holds the ozone layer 臭氧层, which absorbs harmful ultraviolet rays.
- The air here is calm, which is why jet planes cruise in its lower part.
- Without the ozone layer, life on the surface would be badly damaged.
Which atmospheric layer?
Sort each feature into the atmospheric layer where it is found.
The atmosphere is mostly oxygen, with about a fifth nitrogen.
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False. It is the other way round: air is about 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen, with small amounts of argon, CO₂ and other gases.
Select all true statements about the atmosphere.
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The atmosphere is gas, not rock. The other three are correct.
Keep the two lower layers straight. The troposphere (bottom) is where weather and our air are. The stratosphere (above it) holds the ozone layer that blocks UV rays. Mixing them up is a common mistake — remember: weather down low, ozone up high.
Why a jet flies so high:
- Storms and turbulence are trapped in the troposphere.
- By climbing into the calm lower stratosphere, planes rise above most weather.
- That is why a long flight often cruises "above the clouds" — it has climbed out of the weather layer.
Earth's atmosphere is a blanket of gases — about 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen. The troposphere (lowest) holds our weather and the air we breathe. Above it, the stratosphere contains the ozone layer, which shields the surface from harmful ultraviolet rays.