11th Geography (Physical)

CH 07 Composition and structure of atmosphere

Atmosphere
 Our planet earth is enveloped by a deep blanket of gases extending several thousands of kilometres above its surface. This
gaseous cover of the earth is known as the atmosphere.
 Like land (lithosphere) and water (hydrosphere), the atmosphere is an integral part of the earth.
 Compared to the earth’s radius, the atmosphere appears to be only a very thin layer of gases. However, because of the force
of gravity, it is inseparable from the earth.
 The air exerts pressure on earth’s surface by virtue of its weight. This pressure is called atmospheric pressure. Atmospheric
pressure is the most important climatic element. The atmospheric pressure at sea level is 1013 milibar.
 The atmosphere contains various gases like oxygen, carbon dioxide, nitrogen etc.
 Plants require carbon dioxide to survive while animals and many other organisms need oxygen for their survival. The
atmosphere supplies these life giving gases.

 It protects the earth from the harmful radiation from the sun. It acts as a greenhouse by allowing short-wave radiation (from
Sun) and trapping long-wave terrestrial radiation (from Earth’s surface).

Composition of the atmosphere

 The gases in the atmosphere are composed of neutral,
uncharged particles.

 Except for the noble gases, atoms in the gas phase share
electrons with other atoms in chemical bonds so that their
electron count can approach the more stable filled-shell
configuration.

 The Earth’s atmosphere consists of a mixture of noble gas

atoms and many kinds of molecules.

 The atmosphere is composed of –

1. Gases
2. Vapour
3. Particulates

 In addition, it contains huge numbers of solid and liquid

particles, collectively called aerosols.

A. Gases

 Oxygen, although constituting only 21% of the total volume of the atmosphere, is the most important component among
gases. All living organisms inhale oxygen. Also, combustion is not possible without oxygen. Oxygen is negligible at the height of
120 km.

 Nitrogen accounts for 78% of total atmospheric volume. It is a relatively inert gas and is an important constituent of all organic
compounds. The main function of nitrogen is to control combustion by diluting oxygen.

 Carbon Dioxide which constitutes only about 0.038% of the dry air and is a product of combustion. Green plants,
through photosynthesis, absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and use it to manufacture food and keep other
biophysical processes going.
 With the increased burning of fossil fuels – oil, coal, and natural gas – the carbon dioxide percentage in the atmosphere has
been increasing at an alarming rate.
 Carbon dioxide and water vapour are found only up to 90 km from the surface of the earth.

 The third important gas is Argon which constitutes only about 0.93%.

 Ozone (03) is another important gas in the atmosphere, which is actually a type of oxygen molecule consisting of three, instead
of two, atoms. It forms less than 0.00006% by volume of the atmosphere and is unevenly distributed. It is between 20 km and
 25 km altitude that the greatest concentrations of ozone are found. It is formed at higher altitudes and transported
downwards.
 Ozone plays a crucial role in blocking the harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun.
 Other gases found in almost negligible quantities in the atmosphere are neon, helium, hydrogen, xenon, krypton, methane,
etc.

B. Water Vapour

 The vapour content in the atmosphere ranges from 0 to 5 % by volume.

 The atmospheric vapour is received through the evaporation of moisture and water from the water bodies (like seas and
oceans, lakes, tanks and ponds, rivers, etc.), vegetation, and soil cover.

 Vapour depends on temperature and therefore it decreases from the equator poleward in response to decreasing
temperature towards the poles.

 More than 90% of the total atmospheric vapour is found up to the height of 5 km.

 The moisture content in the atmosphere creates several forms of condensation and precipitation e.g. clouds, fogs, dew,
rainfall, frost, hailstorm, ice, snowfall, etc.

 Vapour is almost transparent for incoming shortwave solar radiation so that the electromagnetic radiation waves reach the
earth’s surface without many obstacles but vapour is less transparent for outgoing longwave terrestrial radiation and
therefore it helps in heating the earth’s surface and lower portion of the atmosphere because it absorbs terrestrial radiation.

C. Particulate Matter / Dust Particles

 The Solid Particles present in the atmosphere consist of sand particles (from weathered rocks and also derived from volcanic
ash), pollen grains, small organisms, soot, ocean salts; the upper layers of the atmosphere may even have fragments of
meteors which got burnt up in the atmosphere.

 These particulates help in the absorbing, reflecting, and scattering of the solar radiation which adds the varied charming colour
of red and orange at sunrise and sunset.

 The sky appears blue in colour due to the selective scattering of solar radiation by dust particles.

 Salt particles become hygroscopic nuclei and thus help in the formation of water drops, clouds, and various forms of
condensation and precipitation.
 Hygroscopic nucleus – a microscopic particle (e.g. of sulphur dioxide, salt, dust, or smoke) in the free air, on to which water
vapour may condense to form droplets.

Structure of the Atmosphere

 The atmosphere consists of different layers with varying density and temperature.
 Density is highest near the surface of the earth and decreases with increasing altitude.
 The column of atmosphere is divided into five different layers depending upon the temperature condition.

i. Troposphere

 It is the atmospheric layer between the earth’s surface and an altitude of 8 km at the poles and 18 km at the equator.
 The thickness is greater at the equator, because the heated air rises to greater heights.
 Upper limits of troposphere is Tropopause.
 The temperature in this layer, as one goes upwards, falls at the rate of 5°C per kilometer, and reaches -45°C at the poles
and - 80°C over the equator at Tropopause (greater fall in temperature above equator is because of the greater thickness
of troposphere – 18 km).
 The fall in temperature with increasing height is called ‘ normal lapse rate’ i.e. 6.5 degree Celsius per 1 km.
 It is also meteorologically the most significant zone in the entire atmosphere (Almost all the weather phenomena like
rainfall, fog and hailstorm etc. are confined to this layer).
 It is also called the convective region, since all convection stops at Tropopause. 
 The troposphere is the theatre for weather because all cyclones, anticyclones, storms and precipitation occur here, as all
water vapours and solid particles lie within this. The troposphere is influenced by seasons and jet streams.
ii. Stratosphere:
 It lies above the troposphere and extends uniformly
across the globe up to 50km.
 The temperature in this layer remains constant for some
distance but then rises to reach a level of 0°C at 50 km
altitude.
 This rise is due to the presence of ozone (harmful
ultraviolet radiation is absorbed by ozone).
 This layer is almost free from clouds and associated
weather phenomenon, making conditions most ideal for
flying aeroplanes. So aeroplanes fly in lower
stratosphere, sometimes in upper troposphere where
weather is calm.
 Sometimes, cirrus clouds are present at lower levels in
this layer.
 Ozone Layer :-
 It lies at an altitude between 30 km and 60 km
from the earth’s surface and spans the
stratosphere and lower mesosphere.
 Because of the presence of ozone molecules, this
layer reflects the harmful ultraviolet radiation.
 The temperature rises at a rate of 5°C per kilometer through the ozonosphere.

iii. Mesosphere

 The Mesosphere is found above the stratosphere.

 It is the coldest of the atmospheric layers.
 The mesosphere starts at 50 km above the surface of the
Earth and goes up to 80 km.
 The temperature drops with altitude in this layer.By 80 km
it reaches -100 degrees Celsius.
 Meteors burn up in this layer.
 The upper limit is called Mesopause which separates
Mesosphere and Thermosphere.

iv. Thermosphere

 In thermosphere temperature rises very rapidly with

increasing height.
 Ionosphere is a part of this layer. It extends between 80-
400 km.
• This layer helps in radio transmission. In fact, radio waves
transmitted from the earth are reflected back to the earth
by this layer.
 Person would not feel warm because of the thermosphere’s extremely low pressure.
 The International Space Station and satellites orbit in this layer. (Though temperature is high, the atmosphere is
extremely rarefied – gas molecules are spaced hundreds of kilometers apart. Hence a person or an object in this layer
doesn’t feel the heat)
 ionosphere is part of this layer.
 Ionosphere :-
 This layer is located between 80 km and 400 km and is an electrically charged layer.
 This layer is characterized by ionization of atoms.
 Because of the electric charge, radio waves transmitted from the earth are reflected back to the earth by this
layer.
 Temperature again starts increasing with height because of radiation from the sun.

V. Exosphere
 This is the uppermost layer of the atmosphere extending beyond the ionosphere above a height of about 400 km.
 The air is extremely rarefied and the temperature gradually increases through the layer.
 Light gases like helium and hydrogen float into the space from here.
 Temperature gradually increases through the layer. (As it is exposed to direct sunlight) and this layer merged with space.