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Planet Earth is wrapped in a thin
layer of air called the atmosphere.
Without this protective blanket of
gases, life on Earth could not exist.
The atmosphere
Shimmering particles
The atmosphere is mainly
made up of gases, but it
also contains tiny particles
of dust, pollen, and water
droplets. All particles can
cause a haze in the air when
the Sun shines through them.
Protective layer
A gas called ozone in the
atmosphere protects Earth
from harmful rays in sunlight.
Above Antarctica there is an
area of the ozone layer that is
much thinner than anywhere
else. This “ozone hole” was
caused by chemical pollution.
How far up from the ground does space officially begin?
Gases in air
Air is a mixture of different gases, including
nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide. Oxygen
is vital for plants and animals as it allows them
to breathe. Carbon dioxide is vital for plants.
They absorb it from the air and use the carbon
atoms to help build new leaves and stems.
From space, the
atmosphere looks like
a blue haze over Earth.
The greenhouse effect
If there was no atmosphere,
the Sun’s warming rays
would bounce off Earth
and disappear into space.
But the atmosphere traps
some of the heat, making
Earth warm enough for
us to survive.
Planet Earth
